Public Scholarship and CSCW: Trials and Twitterations

Abstract

From tweeting, to blogging, to engagement with the media, scholars in CSCW engage in a variety of forms of public scholarship. Public scholarship can result in positive outcomes, such as community engagement, accessible research, and self-promotion. Further, public scholarship can support ethical research as a way to (1) reconnect with participants after data collection; and (2) increase the societal benefit of the research. However, despite these benefits there are also challenges and risks associated with engaging in public scholarship, particularly for early career researchers and those who are marginalized. This workshop will bring together those who already engage or are interested in this practice to discuss how to integrate public scholarship in our work, identify best practices for this type of work in the context of CSCW, including the ethical implications of outreach, and develop strategies to effectively support those most affected by the potential risks.