Knowledge activism: bridging the research/policy divide

Abstract

How research can better inform policy and how policy can have a better research base are longstanding issues both in educational research and across public policy generally. Drawing on the work of Hannah Arendt, this article argues that progress in increasing the impact of research can be made through a clearer understanding of the nature of politics. Arendt’s identification of ‘persuasion’ as the defining activity of the political sphere is used to argue that the communication of research findings, relevant to education policy, must be similarly aligned if it is to be effective. The article views approaches such as knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange as inadequately constructed and instead promotes the concept of ‘knowledge activism’ as a means by which research evidence can be made operational in political terms. The article acknowledges the risk to academic integrity and objectivity of such overtly political behaviour but argues that remaining outside the political sphere simply guarantees minimal research impact.

Keywords:

• educational research
• evidence
• impact
• policymaking
• politics

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Donald Gillies

Donald Gillies has been the head of the School of Education at the University of the West of Scotland since February 2014. Prior to that he was professor of Education Policy at York St John University. His book Educational Leadership and Michel Foucault was published in 2013 (Routledge), and he is the compiler of an online dictionary of education (www.dictionaryofeducation.co.uk).