All In: Community Engaged Scholarship for Social Change
Chapter 5: Introduction and Case Example Links
Embodying Equity Through Engaged Research: A View from within Philanthropic Initiatives for Social Change
Angela K. Frusciante
Meaning making is the heart of human creative agency; Shared meaning making is the soul of change efforts that move toward greater equity; Knowledge work embraces both.
Knowledge work, as the embodied practice of engaged scholars, is becoming an identifiable aspect of social change strategies and philanthropically funded change initiatives. Although learning, capacity building, and evaluation have already taken hold within the philanthropic sector, “knowledge work,” defined in the context of equity intentions, complex systems, and desires for deeper and broader inclusion of lived experience, is still emerging as an essential function. However, knowledge work is now poised to become a subfield within philanthropy. Embracing the ideas and practices of engaged research as the core of knowledge work is crucial in social change initiatives because these efforts require flexibility and collaboration in aligning methodologies with the values and rhythms of social change processes. In this chapter, I assert that the essence of knowledge work, regardless of methodology or methods, is shared meaning making. I discuss knowledge work from inside philanthropically funded efforts toward social change. I enter in through a belief that these initiatives, even with their inherent power differentials, have the possibility to provide intentional space for agency and social creativity.
Exploring Knowledge Work in Today's Philanthropy
A Council on Foundations Career Pathways Alumnus Webinar
Meaning making is the heart of human creative agency; shared meaning making is the soul of social change efforts. Knowledge work embraces both.
Over the past decade, talk of knowledge work within the philanthropic sector has increased exponentially. More and more roles either have the word “knowledge” in their title or utilize “knowledge” activities. Under a flurry of names, philanthropic initiatives are perceived to need evaluation, documentation, narrative building, story, scanning, indicators, theory of change models, and the list gets bigger. Amongst all of this, conversations of knowledge work are often either too general, too jargony, or too narrowly focused on the technical details of methodology.
This webinar takes a practical view of why attention to knowledge work is desperately needed in today’s philanthropic efforts. A panel of discussants from various locations (disciplinary backgrounds, types of foundations, professional roles) will come together to talk about how knowledge work shows up in their particular spaces. Their experiences will open up the possibility of envisioning a knowledge field that aligns in purpose and practice with the needs and opportunities of today’s philanthropy.
Participants will leave the webinar with a framing of knowledge work that is useful to philanthropic initiatives, a better understanding of how knowledge work is incorporated into various roles and activities, and an encouragement to explore how knowledge work relates to their own roles, organizations, and philanthropic investments.