Challenging “Citizen Science”: Liminal Status Students and Community-Engaged Research

The problematic term “citizen science” continues to circulate in scholarly circles and points to challenges with how researchers may conceptualize who takes part in community-engaged inquiry. Emerging from experiences with a research team intentionally comprised of students who are undocumented, pol...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Esa Syeed, Abigail Rosas, Farah Hammam, Sherry Shen, Fatima Zeferino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-02-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/2/66
Description
Summary:The problematic term “citizen science” continues to circulate in scholarly circles and points to challenges with how researchers may conceptualize who takes part in community-engaged inquiry. Emerging from experiences with a research team intentionally comprised of students who are undocumented, political asylees, and those belonging to mixed status families, we seek to center how immigration status can inform justice-oriented research processes. By focusing on students experiencing liminal status, we note both the structural barriers they face as well as their agency. Through a critical reflexive process, we outline four key tensions that address skills, authenticity, inclusivity, and possibilities relevant to mixed status teams conducting community-engaged research. By exploring how citizenship status impacts research at epistemological and applied levels, we arrive at more inclusive and just possibilities for community-engaged research.
ISSN:2076-0760