Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’
Abstract Meaningful community engagement process involves focusing on the community needs, building community capacity and employing culturally tailored and community‐specific strategies. In the current practices of community‐engaged health and wellness research, generally, community engagement acti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Health Expectations |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13801 |
| _version_ | 1797690145541980160 |
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| author | Tanvir C. Turin Mashrur Kazi Nahid Rumana Mohammad A. A. Lasker Nashit Chowdhury |
| author_facet | Tanvir C. Turin Mashrur Kazi Nahid Rumana Mohammad A. A. Lasker Nashit Chowdhury |
| author_sort | Tanvir C. Turin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Meaningful community engagement process involves focusing on the community needs, building community capacity and employing culturally tailored and community‐specific strategies. In the current practices of community‐engaged health and wellness research, generally, community engagement activities commence with the beginning of a particular research project on a specific topic and end with the completion of the project. The outcomes of the community engagement, including the trust, partnership and contribution of the community to research, thus remain limited to that specific project and are not generally transferred and fostered further to the following project on a different topic. In this viewpoint article, we discussed a philosophical approach to community engagement that proposes to juxtapose community engagement for the specific short‐term research project and the overarching long‐term programme of research with the finite game and infinite game concepts, respectively. A finite game is a concept of a game where the players are known, rules are fixed and when the agreed‐upon goal is achieved, the game ends. On the other hand, in infinite games, the players may be both known and unknown, have no externally fixed rules and have the objective of continuing the game beyond a particular research project. We believe community engagement needs to be conducted as an infinite game that is, at the programme of research level, where the goal of the respective activities is not to complete a research project but to successfully engage the community itself is the goal. While conducting various research projects, that is, finite games, the researchers need to keep an infinite game mindset throughout, which includes working with the community for a just cause, building trust and community capacity to maximise their contribution to research, prioritising community needs and having the courage to lead the community if need be. Patient or Public Contribution: While preparing this manuscript, we have partnered actively with community champions, activists, community scholars and citizen researchers at the community level from the very beginning. We had regular interactions with them to get their valuable and insightful inputs in shaping our reflections. Their involvement as coauthors in this paper also provided a learning opportunity for them and facilitated them to gain insight on knowledge engagement. All authors support greater community/citizen/public involvement in research in an equitable manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:56:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e9e751e590e43888d3211908e4c5763 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1369-6513 1369-7625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:56:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Expectations |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e9e751e590e43888d3211908e4c57632023-09-08T04:49:54ZengWileyHealth Expectations1369-65131369-76252023-10-012651799180510.1111/hex.13801Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’Tanvir C. Turin0Mashrur Kazi1Nahid Rumana2Mohammad A. A. Lasker3Nashit Chowdhury4Department of Family Medicine, Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Libin Cardiovascular Institute University of Calgary Calgary Alberta CanadaDepartment of Family Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine University of Calgary Calgary Alberta CanadaCommunity Scholar and Citizen Researcher Calgary Alberta CanadaCommunity Champion and Citizen Researcher Calgary Alberta CanadaDepartment of Family Medicine, Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Libin Cardiovascular Institute University of Calgary Calgary Alberta CanadaAbstract Meaningful community engagement process involves focusing on the community needs, building community capacity and employing culturally tailored and community‐specific strategies. In the current practices of community‐engaged health and wellness research, generally, community engagement activities commence with the beginning of a particular research project on a specific topic and end with the completion of the project. The outcomes of the community engagement, including the trust, partnership and contribution of the community to research, thus remain limited to that specific project and are not generally transferred and fostered further to the following project on a different topic. In this viewpoint article, we discussed a philosophical approach to community engagement that proposes to juxtapose community engagement for the specific short‐term research project and the overarching long‐term programme of research with the finite game and infinite game concepts, respectively. A finite game is a concept of a game where the players are known, rules are fixed and when the agreed‐upon goal is achieved, the game ends. On the other hand, in infinite games, the players may be both known and unknown, have no externally fixed rules and have the objective of continuing the game beyond a particular research project. We believe community engagement needs to be conducted as an infinite game that is, at the programme of research level, where the goal of the respective activities is not to complete a research project but to successfully engage the community itself is the goal. While conducting various research projects, that is, finite games, the researchers need to keep an infinite game mindset throughout, which includes working with the community for a just cause, building trust and community capacity to maximise their contribution to research, prioritising community needs and having the courage to lead the community if need be. Patient or Public Contribution: While preparing this manuscript, we have partnered actively with community champions, activists, community scholars and citizen researchers at the community level from the very beginning. We had regular interactions with them to get their valuable and insightful inputs in shaping our reflections. Their involvement as coauthors in this paper also provided a learning opportunity for them and facilitated them to gain insight on knowledge engagement. All authors support greater community/citizen/public involvement in research in an equitable manner.https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13801civic engagementcommunity engagementpublic involvement |
| spellingShingle | Tanvir C. Turin Mashrur Kazi Nahid Rumana Mohammad A. A. Lasker Nashit Chowdhury Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ Health Expectations civic engagement community engagement public involvement |
| title | Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ |
| title_full | Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ |
| title_fullStr | Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ |
| title_short | Conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of ‘research’, ‘community organising’ and ‘knowledge mobilisation’ |
| title_sort | conceptualising community engagement as an infinite game implemented through finite games of research community organising and knowledge mobilisation |
| topic | civic engagement community engagement public involvement |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13801 |
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