Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating Community Resilience Through Youth Engagement, Elizabeth K. Anthony, Allison Mullady, Kendelle Brown, Michelle Blagg-Catone, Stephanie Castillo

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This article presents the impact of Arizona State University’s Design Studio for Community Solutions (DSCS) on youth engagement and community resilience. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study assesses the impact of DSCS programs on youth engagement and community resilience. The findings highlight best practices, underscoring the importance of consistent communication, trust-building, and community representation. Additionally, the research offers nuanced recommendations for future investigations, emphasizing the importance of continuous data collection and periodic assessments to drive ongoing improvement and address unmet community needs.

Community Engagement Networks: Utilizing The Untethered, Theresa M. Harrison

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

In this forum commentary, I discuss those who fall outside the traditional community engagement professional (CEP) roles and how they can be better used in community engagement networks. As a staff member not working in or affiliated with a community engagement office, I feel untethered. Staff, faculty, and CEPs deeply invested in community engagement efforts need community engagement networks both within and outside our institutions that accommodate various roles and their unique contributions.

The Relationship Between Perceived Institutional Support And Student Experience For Employer Selection, Employee Persistence, And Career Path Among Community-Engaged Faculty And Staff Members, James Morgan Lewing

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the potential relationship between the employment decisions of faculty and staff members who participate in community engagement and their perceptions of organizational support for community engagement. Findings indicated that perceptions of organizational support can influence employment decisions, especially for individuals who participated in community engagement activities as students.

Urban University Community Engagement: Questions Of Commitment To Democratic Ethics And Social Change, Khaula Murtadha

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This paper examines ethical issues underpinning urban university engagement in community spaces. The intent is to encourage an evaluation stance and consider how university representatives and community representatives might justly approach and develop partnerships. The paper questions whether faculty, staff, and community partners take action to cultivate public dialogue, or what might be called democratic voice, to bring about social change. Social change organizations unambiguously try to affect and reshape public and environmental affairs, group dynamics, processes, and outcomes. Are the university administration and faculty, in partnership with community stakeholders, ready to take on the charge of social change organization?

Community Engagement: It Is All About Relationships!, Jennifer June Anderson

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

The ability to generate sustainable, mutually beneficial, interprofessional teams becomes a critical skill for today’s emerging professionals. Interprofessional teams can be developed among community-university partners to bridge the intellectual resources of academe through a model of scaffolding interrelated paradigms. This work will provide a conceptual framework for enhancing community engagement through interprofessional collaborative practices for continuing education programs.

In Like Flint: How The Innovation Incubator At Um‐Flint Fosters Social Entrepreneurship In A City Remaking Itself, Nic Custer

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This paper focuses on how the University of Michigan-Flint’s Innovation Incubator supports emerging for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations through programming, business plan development, and ongoing mentorship. The incubator is especially interested in supporting start -ups that address key social issues in the surrounding community, including economic vitality. This goal aligns with the university’s mission, which emphasizes that engaged citizens can exercise some control over the social, environmental, and economic factors in the larger community.

Engaging The Somali Diaspora: A Case Study Of One Agency’S Community Programming Approach, Farhia Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This case study investigates how a local community agency engages with the Somali diaspora to design and implement culturally responsive services, such as the Settlement and Integration Program. It also explores the potential of fostering meaningful dialogue with community members to inform the development of culturally sensitive programming. The research question guiding this study was developed by findings from previous research, which highlighted the significance of community engagement, sustained dialogue, and the necessity for agencies to design clearly defined programs. These programs should prioritize active participation from community members in both the creation and implementation of tailored initiatives.

(De)Centralized Water Futures: Key Dimensions Of Infrastructure, Governance, And Operations, Alicia Dailey Cooperman, Jenny Linder Rempel, Ellis Adjei Adams, Alida Cantor, Manuela Muñoz Fuerte, Jeremiah Osborne-Gowey, Nicole J. Wilson, Cassandra L. Workman, Melissa Beresford, Leila M. Harris, Multiple Additional Authors

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Water system centralization and decentralization have variously been promoted as key to achieving household water security and Sustainable Development Goal 6.1. We argue that the lack of specificity with which scholars and practitioners use the terms centralization and decentralization limits our understanding of different water system configurations and their impacts. In this Primer, we provide a framework for thinking about levels of (de)centralization across three linked system dimensions: infrastructure, governance, and operations and maintenance. We encourage those analyzing water systems to characterize (de)centralization with respect to these multiple dimensions, as well as the system's broader political-economic and hydro-climatic contexts. Emphasizing …

Gardens As Pathways To Environmental Education For All Ages, Lacey Anderson

The Cicadian

Gardens provide hands-on opportunities for environmental education that extend beyond food production, encompassing ecological literacy, sustainability practices, experiential learning, and community engagement. This article uses a creative nonfiction approach to examine the author’s personal journey from reluctant gardener to advocate for learning gardens. Through narrative reflection of her own family’s gardening experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, the author illustrates how gardening fosters intergenerational learning, socio-emotional development, and curiosity-driven exploration of ecological systems. The article highlights how gardens function as accessible entry points for lifelong learners of all ages, demonstrating that environmental literacy can emerge outside of traditional scientific expertise. Ultimately, …

Community Empowerment For Strengthening The Local Economy Based On Cultural Heritage In Kampung Tudong, Pontianak City, Siti Fatimah, Egy Abdi, Winda Chelsea Meisari

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

Kampung Tudong, located in Bansir Laut Subdistrict Pontianak City represents a local community that has successfully revitalized its cultural heritage through a traditional product called Tudong (a protective cover) made from mengkuang leaves that has existed since 1915. This product not only serves a functional purpose for the local community but also symbolizes cultural identity and has become a driver of the local economy across generations. The establishment of Kampung Tudong was driven by local residents’ concern for social and economic conditions and their independent initiative to build a craftsman village for Tudong production. This study employs a qualitative approach …

Research And Development Agenda For Small Islands In The Philippines: Results From A Multi-Stakeholder National Forum, Rodmyr F. Datoon, Ron Jay P. Dangcalan, Marissa S. Pontillas, Marie Gianina Concepcion S. Decano, Melissa Grace C. Olit, Jenny Mei S. Peroy, Eva Marie C. Ponce De Leon, Cristine L. Pingal, Restie Allan A. Puno, Jackielyn S. Abela, Lenard D. Visaya

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The Philippines has 7,641 islands, most of which are small and underdeveloped. While studies have been done on topics such as poverty reduction, climate change, and economic development, there is no integrated research and development (R&D) agenda for small islands. Furthermore, literature points to the lack of consensus on the definition of small islands. As such, the study wove together existing bodies of knowledge and stakeholder perspectives on small islands in the country using a qualitative research design. Data were collected through a desk review, workshops, and key informant interviews. Four categories of small islands were proposed, namely micro-island, small …

The Floodnet Community Engagement Guide, Véronëque Ignace, Sofia Mariyamis, Kendra Krueger, Polly Pierone, Hayley Elszasz, Hannah Eisler Burnett

The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, SRIJB

"At the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Community: The FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy” is a public-facing community engagement guide that documents the strategies, tools, and lessons developed through FloodNet NYC, a cross-sector partnership among researchers at NYU and CUNY and New York City agencies. Designed as a practical resource, this guide shares our approach to community engagement and dissemination so that researchers, practitioners, community organizations, and public agencies can adapt these methods to their own urban climate science projects and other community-centered efforts that address climate challenges.

Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the guide presents community engagement …

A Case Study Of Public Policy, Neighbourhood Change, And Transit Equity Outcomes, Stacy-Ann Baker

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

Despite intentions or understatement, public policy has influenced neighbourhood change, such as gentrification. However, its impact tends to be muted, ignored, or underappreciated. Transit equity policy and research have also lacked a robust social justice framework that considers spatial justice. Additionally, there have been several knowledge gaps, limitations, and mixed results regarding impacts, notably concerning buses, bus rapid transit (BRT), accessibility, and communities of concern. Unlike other studies, this dissertation proposal employs the social-ecological system framework (SESF), the public transportation sustainability list (PTSIL), and sustainability impact assessment (SIA) guidance from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in a …

Strategies And Considerations For Forming And Managing Community Advisory Boards From Health Research With Transgender And Nonbinary Communities, Mannat Malik, Anushka Aqil, Jennifer L. Glick, Jean Michel Brevelle, Anthony Black, Kellan Baker, Arjee Restar, Molly Gribbin, Colin Flynn, Danielle German

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: There is limited research on the use of community advisory boards (CABs) in health research with transgender and nonbinary communities. Transgender communities are navigating challenging histories of health researcher exploitation and research distrust alongside exponential research growth. We explored strategies for forming and managing CABs when conducting transgender community-informed health research. Methods: We used purposive and snowball sampling to identify key informants (KIs): research leaders, implementing staff, and community partners engaging in transgender health research. Between October 2018 and December 2020, we conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews. We used coding followed byiterative thematic analysis and memoing to identify themes. …

Old Frames On New Media: Health Misinformation In Black Digital Communities, Merriah Croston

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Growing evidence suggests that health misinformation has the potential to proliferate on social media. However, our understanding of the problem’s magnitude continues to evolve. Despite several studies on health misinformation and Black communities in the United States (U.S.), few of these studies characterize misinformation within digital settings. This dissertation seeks to address this gap by: 1) synthesizing the literature on health misinformation and Black communities to identify prevalent misinformation topics and claims, characteristics of exposure to and belief in these topics and claims, and successful intervention strategies; 2) quantifying and characterizing the volume of COVID-19 misinformation on Black Twitter during …

The Missing Link: Gingos, Ingos, And The Fractured Promise Of Localization, Stella D. Bosch

Theses

This thesis examines collaboration gaps between international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) and grassroots international nongovernmental organizations (GINGOs) in the localization agenda. While humanitarian and development work are often viewed separately, many organizations operate across both areas, shifting between emergency response and long-term engagement. For this research, “localization” refers to efforts aimed at addressing power imbalances and improving collaboration with local actors, especially in small island nations where vulnerabilities and capacities intersect. The study began as a comparative case design across Cabo Verde, Vanuatu, and Comoros but shifted to an explanatory approach after data constraints redirected the scope. Madagascar was added to …

Coping With Misinformation In Ghanaian Online Communities: A Grounded Theory Approach, Alfred Dela Nyadroh, Karen Magnus-George, Joseph Budu

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Online communities fulfil our innate desire for connection in an increasingly connected world. While offering benefits, they also present disadvantages, attracting significant scholarly attention—especially as their use surged during pandemic-related isolation. Key unresolved questions remain regarding these platforms.

This paper identifies and analyses prevalent misinformation types within online communities, examines how communities create or contribute to its spread, and explores their strategies for mitigating it. Using a grounded theory approach and semi-structured questionnaires, the study reveals that common misinformation forms include misconceptions, fake news, fraud, rumours, and cyberbullying. Crucially, online communities propagate misinformation primarily by sharing unverified content. To combat …

Sowing The Seeds Of Utopia Collectively, From Australia To America And Everywhere In Between: A Methodology And Practice For Resistance And Emancipation, Rachelle F. Marshall

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This reflection on internationally renowned scholars Peter Beilharz and Sian Supski’s visit to Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in October 2024 presents utopia as a sociological methodology useful for research in educational studies. Presenting a brief introduction and exploration of the methodology, this article considers the cultural changes that are necessary to teach toward democratic, ecologically sustainable utopias compared to capitalist visions of utopia. As a starting point for further discussion, this personal reflection merely scratches the surface to provide a glimpse into the conditions that would underlie a democratic, ecologically sustainable utopia and serves to document a few of the …

Same Face, Different Name - Colonialism, Colonization, And Capitalism: How To Combat The Insidious Capitalist Individualism That Denies Basic Human Rights To Us Citizens Via Community Centric Bartering, Nadia Loney

McNair Research Journal SJSU

This paper examines the effects of colonialism, colonization, and capitalism

on the social fabric of the United States and how severing key connections

within society has hindered the direct benefits of community. As has been

tested in various cities around the world, intentional bartering can create a

sustainable community and combat the devastating effects that these

systems have had on the environment and the escalation of violence both

internally and globally. Art aimed at community rebuilding and a

decentralization of the US dollar, can help facilitate innovation that heal

various social wounds.

Covid-19 Crisis: Contemporary Trauma Theory And Clinical Social Workers’ Perspectives Of Work-Related Secondary Trauma Post-Pandemic, Dr. Veronica Y. Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global crisis that challenged clinical social workers’ traditional client-centered strategies and exposed some to secondary trauma. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore clinical social workers’ perspectives on work-related secondary trauma post-COVID-19 pandemic using the contemporary trauma theory as the theoretical framework. The research question involved exploring their perspectives of how this trauma affected their biopsychosocial functioning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants who were clinical social workers between 28 and 36. Using thematic analysis, themes were identified and grouped into the three functioning groups: personal, relationships, and career. Twelve themes …

Housewerk: How Drag Performers Engage In Emotional Labor While Navigating Community Care, Steph O. Landeros

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines drag performance as a form of service labor shaped by emotional labor, community care, and identity-based inequality. Drawing on interviews with drag performers shows how drag labor blends artistic skill, emotional regulation, interpersonal care, and entrepreneurial labor. While these demands mirror service sector roles in other industries, drag remains underrecognized and undervalued, particularly for performers who do not conform to white, cisgender norms. The study introduces Housewerk—an adaptation of Marlon Bailey’s concept of housework (Bailey, 2013)—to describe the mix of paid and unpaid labor drag performers engage in. Housewerk captures how performers must balance self-preservation (branding, income, …

Msw Professional Portfolio-Glue Players, Chelsea Lucille Solberg

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Rooted In Resilience: Exploring Indigenous Economic Models And Sustainability On The Rocky Boy Indian Reservation., Dominique Nault

Capstone Collection

This study examines how traditional practices and cultural values of the Chippewa Cree shape the economic identity and sustainability of the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined demographic surveys with culturally grounded interviews, the research reveals that economic development in the community is inseparable from traditional knowledge systems, collective well-being, and ecological stewardship. Rather than centering on financial accumulations, wealth is defined by family, community, and cultural continuity, placing traditional knowledge on par with land and monetary resources.

Three central themes emerged from the data: (1) the enduring role of traditional values and cultural knowledge in …

Ka Mua, Ka Muri—Walking Backwards Into The Future: Revitalizing Indigenous Economies And Economies Of Well-Being, Suzie Greenhalgh, Jason Mika, Christopher Alcantara, Shaun Awatere, Kendon Bell, Kiri Dell, Donn L. Feir, Dustin Frye, Diane Jarvis, Taryn Kong, Kirsten Maclean, Cathy Robinson, Chellie Spiller, Rachel M. Wolfgramm, Emma Woodward

Indigenous Business & Public Administration

The concept of and desire for well-being economies are rising in prevalence as traditional business paradigms are questioned and alternative framings are being sought. Indigenous peoples, their economies, and their approach to business can provide a rich source of learning to enable and help facilitate a transition to economies of well-being. As Indigenous peoples are emerging from their colonial pasts, they are becoming more empowered to make investment choices, use business models, and form partnerships grounded in their worldviews, which are often well aligned with a well-being economy.

In this paper, we note some of the obstacles Indigenous economies have …

The Multifaceted Role Of Green Libraries In Advancing Sustainable Development In Kenya, Arnold Mwanzu, Yin Yeling

Libraries

t Sustainable development has become a global priority as societies recognize the need to address environmental degradation, social inequality, and economic challenges.The paper sought to establish the role of green libraries in Kenya in championing UN SDGs with a descriptive research design and mixed-methods case study approach. Interviews were conducted with head librarians from 12 representative green libraries in Kenya. An observation checklist was used to complement the interviews. Framework analysis was the mode of data analysis used in line with the interpretivism paradigm that formed the pillar of the research. The findings showed that green libraries in Kenya have …

"No One Leaves For Free": A Media Analysis Of The Lived Experiences And Cumulative Impacts Of The Flint Water Crisis., Jordan Leigh Gatewood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In April 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan changed their municipal water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The effects of this change have been felt far and wide as news broke across the nation that this water was contaminated with lead and residents of Flint were getting sick. This research analyzes 170 news articles from three local and three national news outlets over a 10-year span, 2014 to 2024, to determine how community voice is presented in news media to portray the lived experiences and cumulative impacts of the Flint Water Crisis. Applying a Critical Environmental Justice …

Sabin Cdc Affordable Infill Initiative, Andrew Lindstrom, Casey Dobbert, Josh Miller, Laura Fleming, Menodora Roos-Lemaster, Nick Flowers

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Grounded Growth Planning Cooperative partnered with Sabin Community Development Corporation (CDC), a non-profit affordable housing developer in North/Northeast Portland. The project goal was to examine 11 sites in their Scattered Sites Portfolio for the possibility of infill development to increase the portfolio’s financial performance and to provide additional housing to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) were the primary focus of the evaluation, as they can be constructed without modifying the existing housing and displacing existing tenants. The report identifies opportunities for Sabin CDC to take advantage of Portland zoning code changes that allow increased …

Study Of Public Space Development Based On Preservation Of Cultural Heritage Areas: Case Study Of Muara Jambi Area, Farhan Rachmanda Graha Cahyadi

Cities and Urban Development Journal

Background: The development of public spaces in cultural heritage areas has an important role in supporting the preservation of historical and cultural values, while improving the quality of life of the community around the cultural heritage.

Aims: This study aims to examine the potential for developing public spaces that are in line with efforts to preserve the Muara Jambi Cultural Heritage area.

Methods: The method used is qualitative-descriptive with conceptual-contextual orientation. Data collection techniques are carried out through systematic literature studies, document analysis, and triangulation through stakeholder statements. Data are analyzed using thematic analysis to identify relevant key elements.

Results: …

Service-Learning At The Meso-Level: Integrating A Course On Sustainable Development With National Service Requirements, Mark Anthony D. Abenir, Helena Roxanne A. Indigne

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Higher education institutions have been leveraging service learning (SL) to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable development education within their curriculum and pedagogical practices.

Towards Sustainable Community-Designed Ai Systems In The Public Sector, Victoria Chui, Kelly Mcconvey, Erina Seh-Young Moon, Maya Ghai, Shion Guha

Health Services and Informatics Research

Advancements in data-driven modeling and artificial intelligence applications in public sector settings can lead to increased ten sions between stakeholder needs and tangible model capabilities from developers. Engaging multiple stakeholder groups in model development through the gleaning of sociotechnical, theoretical in sights using qualitative methods can contribute to more impactful, beneficial model solutions. Qualitative methods can complement quantitative model development, emphasizing stakeholder priori ties, informing model design choices, and promoting sustainable connections and model longevity. We are excited to discuss human centered qualitative methods, sustainable modeling practices, and community engagement in this workshop, engaging with scholars on system-level modeling strategies.