ABSTRACT
In these and many similar cases, liaising with the media and informing the public about an evidence-based and arguably more scientific approach to educational issues has been a major part of these scholars’ social and political commitment (Rickford, 1999). Other scholars have taken their research commitment further and argued that giving back to the community whose people have been researched is vital. Notable examples of research leading to commitment to engage in social and political problems include Geneva Smitherman’s outreach programme, Your Brother’s Keeper, a comprehensive programme aimed at early mentoring and teaching of at-risk African American children in inner-city Detroit (Watson & Smitherman, 1996). Another example is GRAMNet (Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network), a research and knowledge exchange network between researchers, practitioners, NGOs and policy makers which aims to improve all aspects of integration of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, as well as influence migration-related policies in the UK and internationally (Phipps & Kay, 2014).
