Researching for social justice: an introduction

Whom do we conduct research with and for? What kinds of questions do we ask of the social world, and how do we question how knowledge is produced? In what ways do our approaches to research and our manner of carrying out research studies matter? If we, as social science students, academics and practitioners, commit ourselves to social change agendas, then our research endeavour is at the heart of advancing such transformative change. Rights and Social Justice in Research is a text which sets out what a rights-based approach to research looks like, why this framework matters and how we can translate a rights-based and social justice agenda into operational research. These questions will be addressed through an examination of numerous case studies based on our contributors’ work with and for diverse community groups, including women, young people, migrants, Travellers, sex workers, people who use drugs, people with disabilities, and older people.