What is the research associated with this project?:
The research takes a social identity approach to examine whether collective identities are developed through group participation and whether or not they can support empowered citizenship and askes six questions:
1] Do the group workshops facilitate collective identification among participants?
2] Are identity processes promoting a sense of empowered citizenship?
3] How effective is the workshop approach in promoting empowered citizenship?
4] Does collective identification have a causal relationship with empowered citizenship?
5] Do sites differ in their development of empowered citizenship?
6] How do the sites overcome differences in power/privilege within the participating groups (in terms intersecting identities?
Longitudinal survey design and focus groups will be conducted in all study sites and an ethnographic observation study in one selected site, intended to create an evidence base to increase the reach and impact of the projects.
Why is this project necessary?:
This research addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 16: to ‘promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, to provide access to justice for all’, goal 10, ‘reduced inequalities’ and goal 4, ‘quality education’. This research will evaluate interventions in different socio-cultural contexts, which set out to promote empowered citizenship among their participants using a group approach. Increasing evidence from the Social Identity Approach (SIA) (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987) shows how group interventions can promote identity resources, which may be beneficial to those who participate. This research will explore identity processes and mechanisms through which individuals can gain from such group interventions, and begin to unpick if, when and why group interventions provide positive, ‘social cure’ effects for health outcomes, among diverse groups of people (Jetten, Haslam & Haslam, 2012). The proposed research is innovative, aiming to build on these ideas and investigate if similar identity processes and mechanisms are involved in interventions aimed at promoting empowered citizenship. The novelty of this research is that the links between participation, empowerment and social identities are underexplored (Drury & Reicher, 2009; Campbell, & Jovchelovitch, 2000).
Who is collaborating on this project?:
Limerick Youth Service,
Limerick Comhairle na n'Og,
Department of Politics and Public Administration
International Federation of Workers' Education Associations IFWEA
IASEW
Dissemination will inform the public, policy makers, youth workers and researchers interested in empowered citizenship.
How is this project being evaluated?:
The proposed research forms the basis for an IRC CAROLINE project proposal, hosted by UL in partnership with international partners IFWEA and IASEW. The research will be subject to ethical protocols pertaining in each of the three mentor institutions, and subject to periodic review by the IRC. A reflective and responsive review process by all participating stakeholders is integral to the project design. Academic integrity will be governed by anonymous international peer review as part of the publication plan.
