Juneteenth: Shining a spotlight on Inclusive Research Practices
By Sage Campus Team
Juneteenth is now recognized as an important day in US history and is a powerful reminder that the quest for freedom and equality in the US has been (and remains to be) a long, hard struggle. As we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on how researchers can contribute to the continued fight for inclusivity, equality and justice for all.
Why Inclusive Research Matters
Historically, traditional research methods marginalize many communities, leaving insights untapped, voices tokenized and often reinforcing systemic inequities. To address these disparities, researchers need to use research methods that appropriately reflect, acknowledge and empower different voices and histories.
Failings in “Traditional” Research Methods
When using more traditional methods, researchers can sometimes execute a kind of “parachute science”, where they go into a community, collect data, and then leave. This kind of research practice alienates and exploits communities and fails to produce impactful or credible research.
Culturally responsive and community-based research instead centers the values of the people in the communities being researched, rather than the priorities of the researchers. This kind of research, when done well, can result in research that is more ethical, valuable and true.
Adjusting Focus to Community-Based Research
Community-based research is growing in prevalence, in part in response to the failings of more “traditional” methodologies. This approach is based on the principles of collaboration and equity, ensuring that communities are consulted during all stages of the research process and that the research being undertaken benefits the community directly. Community-based research prioritizes partnership and mutual respect right through from defining questions to disseminating findings.
Tangible Strategies for Inclusive Work
Inclusive research requires deliberate planning and intentional, strategic action. Here are some practical steps for researchers, from Strand and Khupe’s (2024) brilliant article How to Be Inclusive of Community in Research (part of Sage Research Methods: Diversifying & Decolonizing Research):
Engage Communities in the Research Design Process: Involve communities early on, to ensure research design addresses relevant issues and researchers build genuine trust.
Co-designing Research Goals: Include community input in developing research objectives to ensure relevance and amplify their voices.
Promote Equitable Knowledge Exchange: Foster collaborative analysis to incorporate diverse viewpoints, making findings useful for both academic and community audiences.
Practice Reflexivity and Honesty: Continuously examine biases, positionality and their ethical implications, aiming for participant empowerment and social change.
Maintain Ethical Standards: Ensure informed consent, anonymity, and transparency about participants’ rights and research impacts.
Provide Feedback and Present Results: Share results with the community in accessible formats to maintain accountability and trust.
What Does Juneteenth Mean for Researchers?
Recognizing Juneteenth is a powerful way to remember the role that researchers can play in amplifying underrepresented voices. Researchers should take opportunities to undertake research that reflects the diversity of experiences that exist and challenge the status quo.
As a Publisher, Sage advocates for and promotes inclusive research practices that uplift the voices and lived experiences of marginalized communities. By prioritizing research that centers collaboration, reflexivity, and ethical engagement, we hope to make critical contributions to a better and more just world – where ethical research has societal impact.
For those looking to get started:
Check out the Campus course Research Ethics for Beginners which includes information on understanding cultural sensitivities in research.
Read our blog Beyond Basic Research Ethics by course Instructor Maria E. Lahman
Learn about our upcoming Equitable & Inclusive Research courses, due in 2025, in this Campus blog series
Read the Sage Impact report
Further Reading:
Strand, M., Khupe, C. ed., 2024. How to Be Inclusive of Community in Research. [How-to Guide]. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529690729.
The Future of Computational Social Science is Black – a blog series about the Summer Institute in Computational Social Science organized by Howard University and Mathematica. It continues to bring the power of computational social science to the issues of systemic racism and inequality in America.
