Activism and the academy: implementing and evaluating activist-in-residence programmes

Activist-in-residence programmes in universities represent a paradox: what space exists for activists in institutions which are often seen as re/creating and perpetuating hegemonic structures, and/or as the epistemic sources and reinforcers of the very ideas which activists aim to disrupt? In this article, we examine the motivations and theoretical considerations that drive the establishment of such programmes, and discuss the tensions and possibilities that arise from this inherent paradox. Based on an analysis of existing activist-in-residence programmes and current theoretical framings, we propose a reflexive process evaluation framework for their development and evaluation. We then deploy the framework to critically review a recent activist-in-residence programme hosted by Queer@King’s, an interdisciplinary research centre specialising in gender and sexuality at King’s College London, UK.