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Critical Research Impact: On Making Space for Alternatives

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Ruth MachenORCiD

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This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2020.

For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.

Abstract

This paper argues for greater dialogue between critical research andresearch impact. With demands to demonstrate impact increasinglywoven throughout the funding and institutional architectures of highereducation, concerns have been raised that the UK Research ExcellenceFramework’s impact agenda could adversely affect critical research,favoring instead research that lends itself more easily to societal uptake.Arguing that the threat posed to critical research is real but notinevitable, this paper provides a perspective on what impact from criticalresearch could look like, and the types of support required to encourage,rather than squeeze space for critical research. Drawing from previousprovocations to think about research impact differently, it is argued thatimpact can be conceptualized in ways that support critical agendas.Specifically, four modes of critical research impact are presented:challenging policy; empowering resistances; platforming voices; andnurturing new critical publics. These four modes signal wider potentialfor thinking about research impact in ways that support critical goals.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Machen R

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Area

Year: 2020

Volume: 52

Issue: 2

Pages: 329-341

Print publication date: 20/05/2020

Online publication date: 29/07/2019

Acceptance date: 29/06/2019

Date deposited: 29/06/2019

ISSN (print): 0004-0894

ISSN (electronic): 1475-4762

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12574

DOI: 10.1111/area.12574

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