Kothari, A., Holmes, B.J., Lang, I. et al. It is time to acknowledge and act on the importance of power in integrated knowledge translation. Health Res Policy Sys 23, 78 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-025-01353-5
Abstract
Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) has emerged as an approach to research centered on collaboration between researchers and knowledge users, particularly in health research. There has been a growing focus on power within the IKT literature, especially the concern that overlooking power inequities within IKT partnerships may reproduce forms of knowledge production and dissemination that do not align with IKT’s aspirations of shared decision making to produce useful and usable research findings. However, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of how to address and attend to power in IKT. The lack of conceptual precision around power complicates these efforts. In this commentary, we draw on existing literatures that have grappled with the notion of power to sensitize those who study and engage in IKT to the importance of power and to identify helpful ways of thinking about power in IKT. We propose that it is time to not only acknowledge the importance of power in IKT but also to develop empirically based strategies through which the many dimensions of power can be identified and navigated.
This paper is related to an earlier paper also covered in this journal club also by some of the same authors, but this one includes the “always to look for” authors Ian Graham and Bev Holmes. Check the two journal club posts side by side as you consider using this information in your research and/or practice.
This article defines power as “the capacity to act or exert one’s will” and it is a “pervasive dynamic that circulates within IKT”. “Exert one’s will”. Sit with that a moment and come back to the question below.
Sharing power across teams “fosters environments in which diverse perspectives are integrated, thus supporting inquiry into areas of relevance to knowledge users”. That is true so long as power is truly shared by building capacity to make all team members equal partners. The authors acknowledge this stating, “the bringing together of researchers and knowledge users does not automatically neutralize power relations”.
I have always thought about power as something that needs to be managed or avoided – but you can’t avoid something that is inherent in any relationship. I think about power between academic and non-academic participants in research. But the authors point out there is power between supervisors and students, between senior and early career researchers, between funders and researchers etc.
I find the three-dimensional model cited in the article to be interesting as it states that no one of the three dimensions of power supplants any other, “rather they co-exist and reinforce each other”. Not explored, but implicit in this, is that power can be a positive force if the different dimensions of power reinforce and do not compete with each other. That is sparking some neurons! The authors later reference Foucault who speaks about power as a positive force. “It is through power that, for instance, new partnerships are formed, resources are identified and used, research projects are designed and pursued, and new knowledge is produced, disseminated, and implemented.”
Check out the 3-page long Table 1. It provides a ton of detail and guidance on power through out the research to impact life cycle. The authors acknowledge the power that this table reinforces. “Table 1 is written for researchers, and, in presenting the table in this way, we acknowledge that we are giving latent power to researchers over other knowledge users in decision making during the research process”. In addition, all the authors are at privileged research institutions so this observation can be made about the authors as well. But at least they are aware of this.
Many of us are not aware of the power we bring to a collaboration.
Questions for brokers:
- What do you think of “exert one’s will” as a definition of power?
- How are you building capacity for non-academic partners to become equal partners in IKT?
- Think about the knowledge mobilization relationships you are involved in. How is power expressed in those relationships?
Research Impact Canada is producing this journal club series to make evidence on knowledge mobilization more accessible to knowledge brokers and to create online discussion about research on knowledge mobilization. It is designed for knowledge brokers and other people interested in knowledge mobilization. Read this open access article. Then come back to this post and join the journal club by posting your comments on LinkedIn.