What We Talk About When We Talk About Knowledge
In the young field of knowledge mobilization, the term knowledge can refer to a wide spectrum of information that is derived and communicated in diverse ways. Knowledge can refer to an evidence base, a single research study, an innovation, Indigenous knowledges and practices (which have been undervalued for too long), a person’s “know-how,” lived experience, as well as other forms I am likely missing. In this field, we often find ourselves in the crossroads of all these forms of knowledge. It’s an exciting place to be—sort of like air traffic control but without all the stress!
In my work, I try to bring all these disparate understandings of knowledge together to solve a particular problem. Discoveries often happen by accident, but researchers need to talk to people outside their area of expertise to understand how their discoveries might be applied to real world situations. Knowledge “brokers” mediate between these different communities, helping all parties communicate better, so that we can generate knowledge that actually benefits society.
Over the last five years, I have worked alongside a number of ambitious and highly productive researchers. They are always incredible thinkers and bring with them a contagious spirit of curiosity. The first question I usually ask them is: “Who is this research for?” Many times, they reply, “Other researchers.” There’s nothing surprising about that answer. Academics, after all, are trained to conduct research that will be circulated within a small academic community. But if researchers want to see their work make a difference (and they often do), they will have to think about the many potential audiences their research has beyond academia.
In my experience, once researchers start thinking beyond an academic audience, they realize that their research questions may need to shift, slightly. Their research might be focused on exploring a problem that many people working in the field are aware of, but don’t know how to solve. Perhaps there’s an element to the problem that the researchers haven’t considered, and exploring that element together may lead to a potential solution.
For example, when I was working in homelessness prevention, I learned from talking to practitioners that burnout and staff turnaround has a negative impact on the outcomes of the people they support. This piece of information led us to examine the optimal caseload of a worker to ensure a standard of care and support to their clients. I also learned that staff require mental health support that is paid for by their employer and is considered part of their job. That is the kind of knowledge that can only come from someone’s experience, and unless we take the time to listen and recognize these contributions, we will continue to work in silos of knowledge production.
