ICAN Research Committees
ICAN's Research Committees conduct research involving a series of studies on the establishment and the application of its Canadian model of rights-based community practice (RBCP) in the Middle East.
In the first stage, now underway, case histories of the establishment of each centre are being prepared by national research committees.
Additional research components to be addressed:
The research committees have determined five main areas of interest to be pursued for all RBCP centres and are presently devising a detailed action plan to guide the research process and ensure maximal comparability of the data across settings. The components of the ICAN Research Project are as follows:
1. Conceptual foundation. To lay the theoretical foundation for the model, the researchers will compile literature pertaining to rights-based community practice and in particular, RBCP as addressed in Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian research and literature.
2. Adaptation of innovation. This component comprises case studies each of which focuses upon the application of rights-based practice in a specific center. Research questions focus on the evolution of the centers and the application of the model's components such as storefront services, service delivery, outreach, policy analysis and more.
3. Impact of practice centers. An important element of this research project is the examination of the impact of these centers upon the lives of the disadvantaged in their communities. This component examines the operation and success of these mechanisms as related to access to entitlements, participation, community involvement and more.
4. Institutional involvement. This aspect of the research will focus on an analysis of each university-centre relationship.
5. Inter-play between governmental social policy, the situation of the disadvantaged and community-based interventions. ICAN has been active in the Middle East for over fifteen years. Given the span of time that has elapsed, it is appropriate to attempt to assess whether and to what degree empowerment practices and the situation of the disadvantaged are affected by and conversely have an impact upon social policies at the municipal and national levels. This component will consider the impact of external events such as changes in government, levels of violence and economic development on the centres. As well, this component will examine the instances where centre activity or staff members have influenced external institutions and policy.
Here you can read an article by ICAN Founder and Director, Jim Torczyner on the rights-based community practice model and the development of the first centre in the Middle East, Community Advocacy, Israel, as well as an article by ICAN Israel coordinator, Merav Moshe Grodofsky further developing the interdisciplinary principles of RBCP and their relation to peace building and applies it to the development of ICAN centres across the region. See Publications.
