The UK has a rich tradition of scientific research into poverty, as well as other issues relating to social justice. However, despite the vast knowledge generated on these topics, and convincing evidence on the most effective solutions, society remains plagued by multiple social injustices. These are in large part increasing rather than decreasing in their prevalence and severity. This suggests that traditional approaches to conducting and sharing academic knowledge have been ineffective in generating the kinds of meaningful and deep societal change which are needed to ensure that everyone enjoys their human rights and a life they have reason to value. In this article I make the case for bottom-up participatory research as a vehicle for generating not only an appetite for change, but also for innovation into how changes can be effectively implemented, and how the impact of research can be evaluated. This approach challenges traditional academic research in that equal value is placed on experiential, professional and academic knowledge, rather than the latter being privileged over the former. It also emphasises the importance of the research process, as well as the outcomes, being transformative. Three examples of research projects conducted drawing on participatory ideology and varying degrees of participatory methods are detailed, along with the changes that have resulted from these. I argue that if academia in the UK is genuinely committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and effectively addressing the world's most pressing challenges, a fundamental change is needed in how academic research and communication are implemented.
Gill Main (Sun,) studied this question.