The ultimate goal of academic researchers is to engage in experiments that result in creating an impact in society or the world of academics in general. For some scholars, though, this goal takes extreme action, with a focus on driving change in areas that are sensitive in nature.
When a researcher targets areas of academic activism in their experiments, it can be difficult for them. These challenging areas often face obstacles from sects, groups, or individuals who oppose their research, regardless of the findings. But when you nurture academic activism in your research, you may be able to drive incredible global changes.
Academic Activism Versus Regular Research
In a typical research environment, scholars are attempting to answer questions that drive change in average societal and academic situations. These might include important topics such as healthcare by attempting to create medications that help or cure chronic conditions. These research questions are integral to answering a need, but they are generally not in a subject area that causes waves and triggers strong emotions, either for or against the research.
In academic activism, however, researchers attempt to solve issues that are focused on actively solving a controversial issue, such as climate change. An activist doesn’t stay in their lab and work on the research, letting someone else be the face of their work. Instead, an academic activist seeks out ways to research their causes and attempts to make the problem known by speaking to media, institutions, or taking other professional approaches.
Increasing Popularity of Academic Activism
With so many controversial topics that are globally addressed, academic activism is becoming an increasingly popular niche of research. Academia is, for many scholars, a way to take action on policies they have strong feelings for or against, drive change on a large scale, and make a name for themselves in the cause they are championing.
This is possible because, through academia, activists have the opportunity to ask questions and find the answers through the information that produces knowledge that can drive social changes. They can do the research themselves, which, when undertaken through transparent measures, can cause policy changes to social ideas that are important to the researcher.
It’s also a popular means for academics who want to drive change in strategies that are being used to teach students when old methods are obsolete or in need of a revamping because of how they address societal norms.
But these advantages, because of the large scale of change they impact, are not without their obstacles.
Challenges of an Activist
The typical job of a researcher, while never considered mundane, can have long periods of quiet analysis and solitary experimentation. The activist, on the other hand, may choose to work on subjects that actively put them in danger of reprisal from those who have an agenda opposite that of the work of the researcher.
These external opponents can result in punishment from the university or political fallout if the activist is seen as not conforming to the roles and confines of which they are expected to. It can also lead to physical assault and attacks via hate mail, threats, and dismissal requests from funders and institutions. The activist must be able to withstand social media trolling, negative connotations attached to their name, and vicious disagreements.
Including Activism in Your Research
It is possible, however, to include academic activism in your research without facing the extreme challenges that the purposeful academic activist faces. You can begin to nurture the seeds of this type of research by looking into areas where social change is necessary and starting at the least controversial sectors of these fields.
For instance, climate change is a highly contested subject, but working towards finding replacements for nonrenewable resources through renewable energy is a widely accepted form of research without a lot of violent pushback.
As you begin to learn more about a topic that interests you, you can then decide how much further you’d like go in pursuit of making a change in that field.
Using Impactio to Drive Change
Any scholar knows that their research is only as good as the way they compile it and get it out to the public. Because of that, many experts around the world choose Impactio as the program they use to take their work from start to finish.
Impactio is an all-in-one platform designed for academics. It covers the gamut from inputting text and data and preparing it for a professional profile, to following up on your finished piece through citation indicators that show you how much of an impact your work has made.
With Impactio, you can make a difference with your work without spending important time juggling between programs to get everything you need to be done. It’s all there for you in one simple to use platform used by scholars everywhere.