My previous week’s edition focused on interventions like the failed prison experiment in New Jersey. I am trying to broaden those folks who are at the table so that unaccounted for consequences don’t make matters worse. This is termed iatrogenics (operation was success but the patient died).
Today’s edition will provide a picture of what was shared at a community meeting held in Knoxville as part of the seventh annual Engagement and Outreach Conference hosted by UT’s Office of Community Engagement and Outreach. One presentation shared how to get effective programs into practice by developing theory from practice. The process begins with practice which informs the theory, evolving into research based on the grounded theory and leads to an effective program that moved from practice to theory.
On September 30, 2024, a loosely knit group of citizens, in collaboration with the community universities, gathered at the Change Center on Harriet Tubman Street in Knoxville with the primary focus being problems within the immediate community.
We will address one of the many concerns that was voiced on this day: the relationship between the universities and the communities.
In the discussion, there was a full awareness of the dichotomy between the two, and the community university collaboration began with some degree of success. Too often, it seems the university is viewed as the leader and the community the follower in the relationship between the two. Universities want to build new knowledge while communities need to solve problems.
The community must be addressed in order to make Knoxville a more livable space and place for all. Communities must speak to what is realistic for them and what and how things must be done to keep them viable. Again, only practice leads to theory and to realistic practice.
Community meetings and town halls done in a civilized manner must become part of the commonweal of American society with actionable results being the outcomes or we will never achieve the United in our United States of America moniker.
There’s more from our community meeting coming next week: overcoming the challenges.
Bob Kronick is professor emeritus University of Tennessee. Bob welcomes your comments or questions to rkronick@utk.edu.
