NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Collaboration on contentious issues: research partnerships for gender equity in Nicaragua's Fair Trade coffee cooperatives.

Hanson-L; Terstappen-V

J Agromed 2009 Apr; 14(2):105-111

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10599240902751062

20038745

In recent years, the use of collaborative and partnership approaches in health and agricultural research has flourished. Such approaches are frequently adopted to ensure more successful research uptake and to contribute to community empowerment through participatory research practices. At the same time that interest in research partnerships has been growing, publications on methods, models, and guidelines for building these partnerships have proliferated. However, partnership development is not necessarily as straightforward or linear a process as such literature makes it appear, particularly when the research involves divisive or contentious issues. This paper explores prevailing views on research partnerships, and also questions the applicability of partnership models using an emerging research program around gender equity and health in Fair Trade coffee cooperatives in Nicaragua as an example. Moreover, the paper introduces some of the complicated issues facing the authors as they attempt to develop and expand partnerships in this research area. The paper culminates with a series of strategies that the authors plan to use that offer alternative ways of thinking about building research partnerships concerning controversial or complex issues in the field of community health and development.

Agricultural-industry; Agriculture; Men; Standards; Women; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-operations; Work-performance; Workplace-monitoring Work-practices; Author Keywords: Collaborative research; Fair Trade; gender equity; Nicaragua; partnership

Lori Hanson, MSc, PhD, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

20090401

Journal Article

lori.hanson@usask.ca

Grant

2009

Grant-Number-R13-OH-009571

2

1059-924X

Journal of Agromedicine

WI

Marshfield Clinic