Nothing About Us Without Us: How the Need for Cultural Responsiveness is Changing Research
There is increased awareness and urgency within the research community to ensure that evaluation and assessment practices are sensitive to the cultures of people who are most impacted by those practices. Driven by changing demographics and the increasing complexity of problems that researchers and communities seek to address, new efforts are underway to develop research practices that better account for the unique perspectives and needs of the communities being studied. But there is hardly consensus on what culturally responsive research actually means or, more broadly, what implications such approaches could have on evidence-based policies and programs.
This discussion brought together leading voices from across academia, philanthropy, and government to consider how research can be done with communities rather than to communities, define and provide examples of culturally responsive research, and outline practical strategies researchers can use to address culture and context in their practice.
The event was held on January 24, 2019 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET at Mathematica’s Washington, DC, office (1100 First Street NE) and was broadcast online. In-person attendees joined a networking reception following the discussion.
Featured participants:
- Michael Cavanaugh, research analyst, Mathematica
- Barbara Chow, director of education, Heising-Simons Foundation
- Paul Elam, chief strategy officer, Michigan Public Health Institute
- Diane Herz, chief diversity officer, Mathematica
- Sharon E. Jones, CEO, Jones Diversity (Moderator)
- Aleta Meyer, senior social science research analyst, Administration for Children and Families
- Ernest Smith, treasurer, McElderry Park Community Association
For more information, email events@mathematica-mpr.com.
