Let's Talk Human Rights

Overview

The Action Research and Rights Collective, initiated by the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, began convening in Spring 2022 to lay a foundation for collaboration around methods of inquiry that center dignity, justice, and solidarity in our work. The Collective is part of our efforts to support “action research” methods that advance human rights and build community by generating knowledge in a way that values all forms of expertise, prioritizing people’s lived experience as an essential source. In clear terms, “action research” is guided by a simple set of values: Learn to act, act to learn, and center the participation of those who know.

The goal of the Collective includes three core imperatives to: build a durable community of practice around action research in the human rights space; provide support for experimentation and implementation; and design a feedback process by which we document and share our learning together and from each other in order to improve methods and results. 

If this is new to you, please keep reading. If you’re seasoned in this area, please keep reading. We are a diverse network of individuals with different levels of exposure and background in action research methods but one thing we all share is a desire to grow and improve our practice and do work that matters. We welcome divergent approaches to action research depending on the context, space and types of work being conducted.

Opportunities

We invite applications from individuals, groups, and organizations wishing to join the Collective and particularly encourage submissions from those working in an area that overlaps with Human Rights Center projects as well as emerging priorities:

• Local human rights implementation, including movements, coalitions, and government;
• Transitional and restorative justice and processes of community reconciliation; 
• Applications of intersectional feminist approaches and gender justice;
• Methods that aim to prevent political violence.

We seek collaborators interested in developing their skills in action research to contribute to human rights initiatives, which may be projects underway at the Center or new pitches aligned with the categories above. For the latter, we welcome proposals that would benefit from support at an early stage and from ongoing participation in spaces to learn and workshop with peers.

Process

To be considered, please submit a current resume/CV along with a letter that responds to the following prompts: 

• Who are you? What is your area of work? Within what communities or partnerships?
• Why are you applying? What attracted you to this opportunity?
• What do you hope to do as part of the Collective?
• If applicable, which of the priorities listed above describes your area of interest? 
• How do you anticipate action research featuring in your work?

Once collaborators have been selected, new members will be expected to join quarterly Collective workshops (virtually or in-person) beginning in January 2023 and contribute regularly to platforms we will develop together for reflecting on and sharing out our learning; these may include blogs, podcasts, zines, and other formats. Work from Collective members will be featured at the 2023 Social Practice of Human Rights conference that the Human Rights Center hosts every other fall (dates TBD), after which this cycle will conclude. If this period is fruitful, we anticipate having the capacity for extensions and continued collaboration. 

Researchers selected will receive $2000 for their work, half at the beginning of their participation and the other half at the end, and there will be funds available by request as support for expenses related to new projects.

The deadline for applications is December 12, 2022. 

To submit materials and with any inquiries, please email: Joel R. Pruce, jpruce1@udayton.edu.