What (a) to do about ‘impact’: a Bourdieusian critique

Colley, Helen (2013) What (a) to do about ‘impact’: a Bourdieusian critique. British Educational Research Journal. n/a-n/a. ISSN 0141-1926

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Abstract

This paper presents a research-based, theoretically-informed contribution to the debate on ‘impact’ in educational research, and specifically a response to Gardner’s presidential address to the British Educational Research Association (2011). It begins by discussing the development of the research ‘impact’ agenda as a global phenomenon, and reviews the current state of debate about ‘impact’ in the UK’s Research Excellence Framework. It goes on to argue that a radical alternative perspective on this agenda is needed, and outlines Bourdieu’s sociology – including his much-neglected concept of illusio – as offering potential for generating critical insights into demands for ‘impact’. The term illusio in particular calls us to examine the ‘stakes’ that matter in the field of educational research: the objects of value that elicit commitment from players and are ‘worth the candle’. This framework is then applied first to analyse an account of how an ESRC-funded project that I led was received by different research ‘users’ as we sought to generate impact for our findings. Second, it is used to show that the field of educational research has changed; that it has bifurcated between the field of research production and that of research reception; and that the former is being subordinated to the latter. The paper concludes by arguing that, despite many educational researchers’ commitments to ‘make a difference ‘ in wider society, the research ‘impact’ imperative is one that encroaches on academic freedom; and that academics need to find collective ways in which to resist it.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Colley, Helen (2013) What (a) to do about ‘impact’: a Bourdieusian critique. British Educational Research Journal, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/berj.3112. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-817011.html
Uncontrolled Keywords:	research impact; Research Excellence Framework; Bourdieu; illusio; academic freedom
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Schools:	School of Education and Professional Development School of Education and Professional Development > Centre of Lifelong Learning and Social Justice School of Education and Professional Development > Centre of Lifelong Learning and Social Justice > Early Years Childhood Youth and Community Research School of Education and Professional Development > Centre of Lifelong Learning and Social Justice > Policy Research Group School of Education and Professional Development > Centre of Lifelong Learning and Social Justice > Social Cohesion Research Group
Depositing User:	Graham Stone
Date Deposited:	28 Aug 2013 14:30
Last Modified:	01 Dec 2016 18:13
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/18194

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