How can humanities scholars use their knowledge to impact society in immediate ways? This course introduces humanities students to principles of community-based research and helps them put these into practice in research projects with community stakeholders in the world beyond the university. Students learn how to function as independent and autonomous humanities specialists, while making the outcomes of their work meaningful for society.

The students each prepare a proposal for a community-based project to be carried out as a research internship or bachelor thesis project in the humanities. The goal of the student projects is to create new knowledge that responds to the needs of the community stakeholders and reflects the expertise and interests of the student-researcher. The course addresses the questions important for that process. How can research about aspects of language, discourse, media, ethics, culture or history benefit members of a community or stakeholder organisations? How do you identify, make and maintain contacts with such organizations? What are your responsibilities towards your stakeholders, and towards your discipline? What are similarities and differences between working with commercial companies and working with public institutions or ideologically driven organizations? What knowledge and skills can you put to use? What are other considerations in developing a viable project?

The course presents opportunities for practicing skills that are essential for formulating and carrying out a community-based research project, in a peer group that includes students from different disciplines and programs. The course brings opportunities for multidisciplinary exchange and cooperation; engaging and collaborating with societal stakeholders; engaging in cultural entrepreneurship; determining purpose of research and its questions; adhering to codes of conduct for conducting research; planning and budgetting feasibly; presenting and reporting for different audiences. 

The course is appropriate preparation for students planning individual bachelor research internships (level 3). A follow up in form of a bachelor thesis (Bachelor Eindwerkstuk) may be arranged if students’ own bachelor programme allows it. Students who carry out their individual projects in block 4 can make use of support in peer consultation teams under guidance of a faculty member, and opportunities for public presentation of the outcomes of their community-based projects. 

The course is a part of the minor Professional Humanities in Societal Settings.