ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how understandings of collaborative academic–practitioner relationships have evolved, and elaborates conceptual challenges that create tensions in academic–practitioner relationships. It discusses the sorts of capability academics need to collaborate effectively with practitioners given the conflicting expectations and constraints inherent in their different worlds, and illustrates good practice through case studies occurring at acknowledged centers of excellence. In particular, successful academic–practitioner relationships necessarily involve contradictory yet inter-related priorities that exist simultaneously and persist throughout the life of a partnership. The crucial issue here is that, without appreciating tensions and paradox, it is impossible to appreciate the dynamics of successful academic–practitioner partnerships. The recognition of crucial paradoxical features highlights ways that thinking about academic–practitioner partnerships has been evolving. It also highlights how, as the practice of relating is explored at more granular level, new challenges have emerged. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
