Historical Purpose, Power, and Politics Behind the Concept of "Community Engagement"

Historically, the concept of “community engagement” in research has denoted involvement of groups that were recognized as underrepresented, underprivileged, and under-resourced groups. However, this concept is evolving. Presently, the scope and use of “community engagement”  by federal funders such as the National Institutes of Health, has become broader to be inclusive of organizations and groups typically embedded in professional institutional structures, thereby creating several  concerns for grassroots communities related to equitable partnerships, resource sharing, and the ability to influence and impact research. In other words, traditional “community” may now be forced to compete with broadly defined “communities”, which ultimately impacts the capacity to obtain resources and achieve financial stability. As Michigan’s Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA),  Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) positions itself in responding toward a broadening definition of “community engagement” it is challenged to bridge the gap and promote bidirectional learning between the historically underserved “communities of identity” with “communities of institutions.” Institutions and researchers, academic or otherwise who are tasked with “engaging communities” both in responding to and securing funding opportunities, are challenged to consider the implications of responding to and defining this evolving concept. This session is designed to provide a platform for both community-and-academic-based stakeholders to dialogue around the evolving definition of community engagement and the implications for their partnerships. How can individuals and institutions, such as MICHR, foster equitable partnerships between historically underrepresented communities with historically privileged communities to move the dial on translational research and ultimately impact health.