Intervention-linked Community Research

An Underestimated Method of Community Organising? Insights from the City Lab Bochum-Hustadt

Authors

  • Silke Betscher HAW Hamburg
  • Christiane Falge Hochschule Bochum

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71057/s1h6f482

Keywords:

community research, community organizing, participatory research, empowerment

Abstract

Community Organising is usually not conceptualized as research and vice versa community research is not conducted with the aim of community organising. However, in our contribution, we draw attention to the many parallels between community organising and intervention-linked community research practiced in the Bochum City Lab. We first introduce the working methods of the City Lab and then present its historical development. On the example of the research project “EMPOWER” - we will show how collaborative knowledge production can foster processes of politization and empowerment. We will close with a comparative view on theory and practice of community organising and the City Lab concept.

Published

2025-03-03

How to Cite

Intervention-linked Community Research: An Underestimated Method of Community Organising? Insights from the City Lab Bochum-Hustadt. (2025). Community Organizing Journal, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.71057/s1h6f482