Call for Contributions closes 31st March 2017

From Big Data to Participatory Action Research: Participation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 

Friday, 30th June 2017, University of Reading

Participation Lab’s 2nd Annual Workshop

Supported by the University of Reading’s Participation Lab and Global Development Research Division, the Participatory Geographies Research Group of RGS-IBG, and Stockholm Environment Institute (York)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a global plan of action “for people, planet and prosperity”, encompassing both social and environmental concerns. Participation of all members of society is central to meeting and monitoring the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participation in and for the SDGs is the focus of the Participation Lab’s 2nd Annual Workshop in 2017 (https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/participation-lab/).

There is a wealth of existing knowledge around innovative ways of engaging with community members and stakeholders at a range of scales, in a variety of socio-economic contexts, and with a diversity of methods from more passive big data approaches, to mass participation citizen science to participatory action research. This one day event will explore how methods across this spectrum of approaches can be used to meet and monitor the SDGs.

We want to bring together researchers and practitioners to explore how traditional and digital methods such as community engagement, participatory mapping, GIS, digital art, photography and video, online games, interactive web platforms, social media among others, might be combined with crowdsourcing and citizen science approaches to advance progress on the Goals and what innovations might be required.

The programme for our one-day event will be designed by you. We are seeking contributions from academics, practitioners, policymakers and community members in the form of 15 minute presentations, addressing the question of participation and sustainable development. Topics might include, but are not limited to:

  • SDGs and development
  • SDGs in global North and South
  • Contributory, collaborative or co-created citizen science
  • Citizen science approaches for development
  • Participatory research methodologies, incl. mapping, GIS, art, photography,
  • Participatory Action Research
  • Big data

Please submit the following by 31st March 2017to Hilary Geoghegan h.geoghegan@reading.ac.uk:

Already confirmed: a workshop around the ethics of engaging people in citizen science and participatory methods in global South contexts.

  • Your name, affiliation, career stage, email address
  • Max. 250 word synopsis of your presentation
  • Max. 100 word biographical statement

The organising committee (Hilary Geoghegan (Reading), Rachel Pateman (SEI, York), and Sarah West (SEI, York)) intend to confirm the programme by Monday 10th April 2017.

The Workshop forms the opening day of the Participatory Geographies Research Group (RGS-IBG) Away Weekend in Reading: Participatory Geographies Research Group Away Weekend – June 30th – July 2nd.