Research for teaching’s sake: Preparing public affairs students for the fight over social equity, reflections from a PATNet roundtable

Abstract

The social movements of the last few years have highlighted the continued institutional inequities that exist in the United States. They have reinvigorated policy and administrative practices and programs that support DEIJ. They have also reawakened in earnest a battle that has been waged since colonial America, one in which people in power work to pass policies and promote institutions that undo social equity and uphold oppression. As public administration scholars and teachers, it is critical for us to give our students the tools, language, and skills necessary to fight against oppression. In this dialogue, I present advice from social equity scholars on how to accomplish this by highlighting conversations from a roundtable discussion held at PATNet 2023. Themes include overall feelings about teaching social equity, discussing positionality, incorporating interdisciplinary theory, linking theory to practice, and teaching under censorship.

Keywords:

• Interdisciplinary research
• pedagogy
• social equity

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the many scholars, activists, and practitioners who have spent careers pursuing and promoting DEIJ in research, teaching, and practice. I want to thank the many people who helped me plan and attend the PATNet 2023 roundtable. A special thanks to Drs. Nuri Heckler, Domonic A. Bearfield, and Brandi Blessett for contributing quotes and reading early parts and pieces of this paper. Thank you to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for your valuable feedback and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexis R. Kennedy

Alexis R. Kennedy is an Assistant Professor within the Master of Public Policy and Administration Program in the Department of Political Science at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Her work focuses on the ways in which public, private, and nonprofit organizations work together to support public service and social equity. She is also interested in how public finance mechanisms and budgets can support social equity outcomes.