On the field with social science and humanities participatory research

Some examples of community engagement from the COESO project

Abstract

Citizen science is a well-established domain in many scientific disciplines. Far less is known about the practices of citizen science in the social sciences and humanities. The COESO project is fostering and highlighting citizen science practices in the social sciences and humanities. Ten European-based case studies – ”pilots” – reporting on specific challenges have fed the COESO project: five of them began at the beginning of the project in January 2021, while the other five were chosen through an Open Call process in early 2022. Each pilot presents a distinct type and model of collaboration between different kinds of stakeholders, addressing specific societal issues. This diversity has contributed to generating knowledge on challenges and innovative knowledge sharing practices found within participatory practices in the social sciences and humanities research fields. The project promotes developing synergies between practices found within various social sciences and humanities disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, political science, and the arts, with practices employed by non-academic professionals working on societal issues. The 10 pilots provide a platform for collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and citizens, allowing for the co-creation of new knowledge and innovative solutions to pressing societal challenges. 

The aim of this poster is to show the different engagement strategies co-developed with researchers and community members to involve active citizen participation in the research, as well as the actions and creative outputs carried out to raise awareness of the projects and maintain the interest of participants. From initial stakeholder mapping, information management, data collection and storage to communication and dissemination of results, each pilot has deployed a unique engagement strategy, making COESO an excellent repository of information on the different ways of fostering community engagement with citizen science through social science and humanities initiatives. By showcasing the diversity and potential of these pilots, this poster invites further exploration and collaboration in the exciting and evolving domain of citizen science in the SSH.