Opening a networked learning dialogue on postdigital citizen science and humanities

We are in a complex world where pressing global and local challenges do not sit neatly under single disciplines, or within defined sectors. Furthermore, conventional methods where academics and decision-makers lead research, and citizens simply supply data, are unlikely to yield empowering and sustainable change for communities or policy. This chapter examines routes towards a stronger democratisation of citizen research, across sectors, sciences and humanities in postdigital society. We firstly explore some existing definitions of community research in science and humanities activities. This raises issues of language, including how researchers outside of universities are described and perceived. Yet language, as both acquisition and participation, crosses boundaries between science and humanities, and is also a vehicle for translating research into actionable insights and outcomes. We argue however that academics simply delivering translational research still fails to address inequities that we have uncovered in recent postdigital dialogue and co-publication with citizen researchers. Networked learning has long sought to bridge gaps between theoretical and practical approaches, taking an interest too in convergences, contribution and community. Thus, we draw on these strengths to recommend a broad, participatory dialogue on future directions for postdigital citizen science and humanities, as dialectically intertwined in community research.