Stylus Publishing (VA) Envisioning Public Scholarship for Our Time: Models for Higher Education Researchers

Review Envisioning Public Scholarship encourages scholars to engage the urgent problems of the communities in which they live, not simply by offering expertise, but also by cultivating authentic relationships, reciprocal learning, and improved writing and communication skills. The complexity and contradictions of community life make public scholarship difficult, but this book persuasively argues that it is both essential for social progress and a pathway to a more meaningful and consequential scholarly life.--Paul E. Lingenfelter, President Emeritus, State Higher Education Executive Officers. Author of: "Proof," Policy, and Practice: Understanding the Role of Evidence in Improving Education (10/27/2017 12:00:00 AM)Envisioning Public Scholarship for Our Time: Modelsfor Higher Education Researchers is an excellent resource for Ed.D. program faculty andadministrators who are committed to developing scholarly practitioners.Doctoral students will benefit from having this book as required reading in theirinitial research course as it describes the value of scholarship and thesignificant impact various forms of public scholarship can make in terms ofsocial justice and equity. Kezar et al. (2018) promote activism by sharingnumerous examples of public scholarship, including their own, and outliningseveral paths for how researchers can engage in public scholarship to impactpolicy and practice in higher education.Overall, Envisioning Public Scholarship for Our Time: Modelsfor Higher Education Researchers is an inspiring fresh look at how scholars can use theirtalents for the greater good. It challenges faculty, administrators, andstudents to become an activist through public scholarship. The rich, meaningfulexamples shared throughout the book are sure to provide readers with manysuggestions and ideas about how to engage in public scholarship. Two areas thatwere addressed, but need further attention, are how can colleges anduniversities modify reward structures so that public scholarship is highlyvalued, and what strategies will assist faculty and students who facechallenges when shifting toward a more public scholarship framework. I wouldstrongly recommend that faculty use this as a primary text in the firstresearch course in doctoral programs, especially programs committed to thescholarly practitioner framework.-- "Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice"Envisioning PublicScholarship for Our Time: Models for Higher Education Researchers, edited by Adrianna Kezar, YiannaDrivalas, and Joseph A. Kitchen, is a timely and important contribution. Itupdates how higher education and social science researchers can meaningfullyinform and participate in national and community issues and policies. Thissentiment is averred in the Foreword and throughout the volume in light of thehistorical and emerging societal issues and the tenuous influence ofresearch-based knowledge among decision makers.Envisioning Public Scholarshipfor Our Time: Models for Higher Education Researchers is an engaging, varied, and interesting read. As you read each chapter, the autobiography andfirst-hand accounts of the authors make the stories and elaborations of publicscholarship quite lively and relatable. The sheer variability of each chapteris definitely a strength of this volume. Another strength throughout thechapters is the willingness of the authors to explicitly state that engaging inpublic scholarship is not easy, often not supported by the structures of highereducation, and may leave one feeling vulnerable. Some of this vulnerability isbecause most of the authors were not trained explicitly for public scholarshipbut instead had to learn on the ground and by reflecting on their misstepsalong the way.The engaging nature of the volumeand the explicit details on the methods and avenues of public scholarship makethis book ideal for a number of purposes. These include but are not limited tograduate courses in theory, methods, and substantiv