Research at Praxis
Research is central to Praxis and underpins much of its teaching, educational resources and collaborative work. Praxis research is concerned with Global Justice Education in higher education and explores questions of pedagogy, participation, institutional change, partnership, power and the relationship between critical reflection and action.
The research has developed through several interconnected strands. These include a three-part study of embedding Global Justice Education across higher education; educational resources developed through substantial research with UCC staff and students; and research into North–South partnerships in higher education, together with educational resources emerging from that work.
The sections below bring these different strands together, showing both formal research findings and the ways in which research has been translated into practical educational resources.
On this page (go to):
1. Embedding Global Justice Education in Higher Education
2. Research-based educational resources
3. Research on North–South Partnerships in Higher Education
4. Other research and collaborations
1. Embedding Global Justice Education in Higher Education
Praxis has undertaken a sustained programme of research exploring how Global Citizenship and Development Education, increasingly framed through Global Justice Education, can be embedded within higher education.
Working with staff and students across University College Cork, the research has examined existing experience, possibilities and challenges across disciplines and the wider university, and considered what is required to strengthen this work institutionally.
This research is being published as a series of three reports, bringing together the findings from successive stages of the study.
2. Research-based educational resources
A second strand of Praxis research is reflected in its educational resources. These resources are not simply teaching materials: many have emerged from substantial research and inquiry undertaken with UCC staff and students and from wider investigation of the issues they address.
The resources translate research into forms that can be used in teaching, professional learning and public engagement. They bring together evidence, critical perspectives, case studies and participatory approaches across a range of Global Justice Education themes.
3. Research on North–South Partnerships in Higher Education
A newer strand of Praxis research examines North–South partnerships in higher education, with particular attention to how partnerships are experienced, what makes them meaningful and transformative, and how questions of power, knowledge, reciprocity and inequality shape collaborative work.
The research draws on Praxis partnership activity involving higher education institutions and community partners in different contexts. As well as producing a research report on what we are learning about North–South partnerships, this work is generating educational resources that translate the findings into material for teaching, reflection and future partnership practice.
Taken together, this forms a series of five research-based outputs, combining the research report with the educational resources arising from the partnership research.
4. Other research and collaborations
This section presents Praxis’ uncategorised research activities and collaborations within academia and others.
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The Praxis Project, under the leadership of Dr Gertrude Cotter has been conducting a three year study on how we might promote the theory and practice of Global Citizenship and Development Education (GCDE) in a Higher Education Institution in Ireland. The research is taking place at University College Cork where we have been engaging with staff and students with a view to understanding our collective experience and ambitions for GCDE. This is academic study from the perspective of GCDE as a discipline. It is not a policy document for UCC, however, naturally we hope that our work will inspire and inform UCC and other HEIs in Ireland and elsewhere.
We are very grateful to UCC for allowing us to work together as a group of 18 staff in year 1 and in year 2 to talk to UCC students from across all disciplines. Together we have explored what we mean by GCDE, what our experience of GCDE is and what our aspirations are for the future of GCDE. It is a rewarding journey and we have been really impressed by the level of interest, ideas and leadership amongst staff and students. A warm thanks to all who have participated so far and we welcome collaboration with all disciplines and departments going forward.
On this page you will find the Research Findings for the first two arts of the study. Part 3 has just started and relates to future directions for GCDE in HEIs in Ireland. We welcome all UCC management, staff and students to join us in focus groups and will be reaching out to you in early 2024. Meanwhile do get in touch at any time by contacting Dr Gertrude Cotter at gertrude.cotter@ucc.ie.
Research Question
The central question is: how can we integrate the theory and practice of GCDE into the work of UCC across all disciplines and across the work of the university as a whole and what are we learning as we do so?
Year 1 Findings (Research Report Part 1)
The findings of the study will be published in three reports. The first report was launched in April 2022. The full text of Part 1 can be found here:
praxis staff-research-final draft – 12th October 2021
A summary of Part 1 can be found here:
summary praxis staff-research-final draft – 12th October 2021
Year 2 Findings (Research Report Part 1)
Engaging Minds Transforming Perspectives
Summary Engaging Minds Transforming Perspectives
Impact of this Praxis Project as described by UCC Staff (Year 1)
While the impact of this work will not be fully understood until after participants implement their plans, there were some broad opinions expressed on the impact of the work in general. Some of the opinions expressed at session six were as follows:
“This has been a very positive development. Praxis has raised discussion and conversation”.
“I found it very useful that GCDE asks people to be critical of own practices and self-assess and reflect. It is so impactful at individual level and at cultural level. It encourages self-critique and reflection”.
“The process initiated conversations in different ways. We can see synergies between our own work”.
“There are different ways in which we can come together. Like doing anti-racism work together in UCC. Planning and supporting one another in this work. Ideas for future collaborations. Clairifcations
“It built links between people in the university who had no contact before. It created internal links through the project”.
“Having allies in itself is so nice – to have people you know, are generally same place”.
“We can disagree in a safe space too”.
“We are also contributing to a global conversation on GCDE. More heads to think about these things”.
“Once we get resources up we can map and track our impact better, see who is downloading. It will be ongoing work”.
“It is great to be writing the article together, that is an outcome”.
“I like the idea of having some kind of seminar/present something in person or online which will bring attention. To showcase and invite the wider sector and also in UCC”.
“We are contributing to a conversation”.
“We need to talk too about strategic engagement and I think the mapping and the research will help to push our case”.
“Even doing things in different way is an impact, to question, if we include other voices, other perspectives, we are more than half ways there”.
“Remember that we should not be so busy ‘doing’ and forgetting to ‘tell’ our story”.
“We have to work strategically as well as bottom-up work”.
“There are opportunities in UCC. We need to closely explore strategic priorities. This work should be mainstreamed”.
“I am learning so much”.