This course provides a foundation in social science research methods, with an emphasis on community-based participatory research (CBPR) for environmental and food justice. We will be drawing on theoretical and practical approaches from across the environmental social sciences (ESS) including psychology, anthropology, sociology, community health, and geography to help us frame ways of looking at these critical community issues. We will also uplift anti-racist research, evaluation, and learning (REL) approaches, and address issues of data justice.
Students will develop competencies to prepare them to work with communities to identify and understand environmental, food security, health, and social conditions that impact their communities and organizations. Specifically, we will discuss a wide range of mixed methods with an emphasis on participatory approaches to developing research questions and hypotheses, community-engaged evaluation planning, needs assessments, and landscape scans. Students will also learn about ethical issues in research, particularly as pertaining to working with community stakeholders. Over the course of the semester, students complete a variety of practical exercises designed to gain experience with qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and community learning. |