Collaborative Research in a Post-Katrina Environment: The Facilitation, Communication, and Ethical Considerations of University Researchers

Abstract:

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina brought devastation and confusion to the Mississippi Gulf Coast region on August 29, 2005. A desperate need for leadership, collaboration, and coordination of relief and recovery efforts was revealed during a March 2007 strategic planning session involving 96 organizations, groups, agencies, and researchers working in the area. As an outgrowth of the planning session, the Inter-University Collaborative Research, Relief, and Recovery Initiative was formed March 14, 2008, with the purpose of developing a better understanding of the research process after a natural disaster and the roles of university researchers and social service providers in conducting the research. A qualitative study of the group’s initial collaborative discussions was conducted implementing focus group methodology. Participants of the study included nine researchers and six social service providers working in the post-Katrina environment. Results showed needs for collaboration among researchers and social workers and the establishment of research parameters sensitive to the cultural context of this post-disaster region.

Subject:

Social Sciences

Grade Level:

Post-secondary

Collection:

Connexions