Week 9 Response

I will try to keep this relatively brief, since I am doing an entire presentation of the topic of activist research. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this type of methodology. I understand that people in “authoritative” positions need to engage in civic interaction with those who have not been able to achieve the level of social legitimacy of which the researcher has, but to what extent is this productive, civic engagement actually achieved?

      From what I have read, mostly Cushman, I don't know what is really occurring with this type of research. Is she really becoming friends with these people, helping them help her or is she exploiting them? I felt like activist research is based on “slumming” it for a while to get what you need to publish a book or paper; what occurred, though? One may, in fact, be reinforcing the oppressive social structure that he/she is challenging. I don't think too much exploitation is occurring , though, honestly. I say this only because all parties involved are just using each other. Cushman claims that the people she researched were aware of the dynamic and  everyone is happy and gaining a real sense of what it means to protest something oppressive by utilizing the means of which they have access.

      However, I do not see this as civic engagement that will potentially challenge a damaging hegemony: Both parties were being selfish and not really acknowledging what was really happening: Everyone is getting used. Maybe I'm being a cynic here, but I think this methodology is way too problematic to be considered as a legitimate means for social change. But, then again, hardly any form of social change is legitimate. It's all based on a power structure and a dominant class that holds the authority and dictates everything. Well, on a lighter note, the show “Welcome Back, Kotter” seemed like a legitimate form of social change. Mr. Kotter didn't come from much and went to college to become a teacher. He then came back to his roots to teach at the high school he once attended. That's change I can believe in!