Eco-citizen science for social good: promoting child well-being, environmental justice, and inclusion
File(s)RSWP_Revision_March_2_clean_updated.docx (72.24 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Makuch, Karen
Aczel, Miriam
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This article examines the benefits and challenges of engaging children in environmental citizen science, defined as science conducted by nonspecialists under the direction of professional scientists, to promote social good. Citizen science addresses two central elements of the social good model—environmental justice and inclusion with particular attention to diversity in age, gender, race/ethnicity, and social class in addressing environmental injustice that is more prevalent in underrepresented communities. This article evaluates how participation in citizen science projects focused on the environment (eco-citizen science) benefits the child’s development, contributes to science, and leads to commitment to environmental stewardship and justice as adults. Our work offers a novel contribution to the discourse on social good and social justice through explicitly calling for children to be included in environmental citizen science projects. We examine the benefits and challenges of involving children in scientific projects and discuss implications for policy, practice, and future research
Date Issued
2020-02-01
Date Acceptance
2019-12-11
Citation
Research on Social Work Practice, 2020, 30 (2)
ISSN
1049-7315
Publisher
Sage Journals
Journal / Book Title
Research on Social Work Practice
Volume
30
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2019. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Makuch, K. E., & Aczel, M. R. (2020). Eco-Citizen Science for Social Good: Promoting Child Well-Being, Environmental Justice, and Inclusion. Research on Social Work Practice, 30(2), 219–232 by Sage Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. It is available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731519890404
Sponsor
Imperial College London President's Scholarship
Identifier
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049731519890404
Subjects
Social Sciences
Social Work
environmental justice
environmental citizen science
children citizen science
sustainability
social good
HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS
HEALTH
SUSTAINABILITY
PARTICIPATION
COMPETENCE
LANDSCAPES
DIVERSITY
EDUCATION
EXPOSURE
BENEFITS
Social Work
1607 Social Work
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
Volume: 30 issue: 2, page(s): 219-232
Date Publish Online
2019-12-11