Comparative Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Community Collaboration between Academics and Community Practitioners

Abstract

This article presents the results of a series of structured dialogues on the topic of interdisciplinary community collaboration (ICC), the term used to convey the complexity of bringing diverse organizations and constituencies together to produce progressive community change. Commonalities and differences between two cohorts—academics and practitioners—on core concepts needed to both teach and practice ICC are presented. These include power and structured inequality; community; and multi-culturalism and diversity. Additional themes emerged including the complexity of professional identity and discipline for both cohorts. The article concludes with the recognition that knowledge, skills and values related to working collaboratively need to be articulated more in the classroom and infield. This can be done by bringing academics teaching ICC and community practitioners in closer connection in order to create synergy from their interaction and exchange.

Keywords:

• community organizing
• community development
• interdisciplinary
• collaboration
• community practice