Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement
We describe the efforts of two related undergraduate projects to promote lasting social change in marginalized communities in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The projects represent a test of the premise that undergraduate projects can engage academically based strategies and transcend good int...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The University of Alabama
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship |
| Online Access: | https://account.jces.ua.edu/index.php/s-j-jces/article/view/299 |
| _version_ | 1797733373327704064 |
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| author | David P. Aday, Jr. Joanna K. Weeks Christiana E. Sherman Robert A. Marty Rebecca L. Silverstein |
| author_facet | David P. Aday, Jr. Joanna K. Weeks Christiana E. Sherman Robert A. Marty Rebecca L. Silverstein |
| author_sort | David P. Aday, Jr. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We describe the efforts of two related undergraduate projects to promote lasting social change in marginalized communities in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The projects represent a test of the premise that undergraduate projects can engage academically based strategies and transcend good intentions to achieve effective community partnerships to improve health and health care. The projects proceed from a perspective and theory of marginalization and its consequences. Specifically, marginalization undermines individual and collective capacity to meet basic needs and efforts to thrive. Through strengthening social infrastructure, communities can overcome the effects of marginalization. Project work begins with annual medical clinics and, with the permission of community residents, team members conduct ethnographic descriptions of the communities and their health and health care concerns and resources. We use social network analysis (SNA) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques to describe social infrastructure. Working from those foundations, both projects have enabled increased social infrastructure. To date, we have observed increased communication among community residents, facilitated the development of community-endorsed five-year plans, and established partnerships with regional and international groups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:27:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e54a021219e24979aaaefa98e25a7794 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1944-1207 2837-8075 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:27:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | The University of Alabama |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship |
| spelling | doaj.art-e54a021219e24979aaaefa98e25a77942023-08-29T21:02:17ZengThe University of AlabamaJournal of Community Engagement and Scholarship1944-12072837-80752022-08-018110.54656/AGEB5515Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community EngagementDavid P. Aday, Jr.0Joanna K. Weeks1Christiana E. Sherman2Robert A. Marty3Rebecca L. Silverstein4College of William and MaryColumbia UniversityCollege of William and MaryCollege of William and MaryCollege of William & MaryWe describe the efforts of two related undergraduate projects to promote lasting social change in marginalized communities in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The projects represent a test of the premise that undergraduate projects can engage academically based strategies and transcend good intentions to achieve effective community partnerships to improve health and health care. The projects proceed from a perspective and theory of marginalization and its consequences. Specifically, marginalization undermines individual and collective capacity to meet basic needs and efforts to thrive. Through strengthening social infrastructure, communities can overcome the effects of marginalization. Project work begins with annual medical clinics and, with the permission of community residents, team members conduct ethnographic descriptions of the communities and their health and health care concerns and resources. We use social network analysis (SNA) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques to describe social infrastructure. Working from those foundations, both projects have enabled increased social infrastructure. To date, we have observed increased communication among community residents, facilitated the development of community-endorsed five-year plans, and established partnerships with regional and international groups.https://account.jces.ua.edu/index.php/s-j-jces/article/view/299 |
| spellingShingle | David P. Aday, Jr. Joanna K. Weeks Christiana E. Sherman Robert A. Marty Rebecca L. Silverstein Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship |
| title | Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement |
| title_full | Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement |
| title_fullStr | Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement |
| title_short | Developing Conceptual and Methodological Foundations in Community Engagement |
| title_sort | developing conceptual and methodological foundations in community engagement |
| url | https://account.jces.ua.edu/index.php/s-j-jces/article/view/299 |
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