A Pirate Looks at 30: Three Decades of Community Based Applied and Clinical Sociology in an Urban University.

Upon arriving at the University of North Florida in 1993, I began working with two colleagues to develop an Applied Sociology Research Center. Since being formally recognized by the University in 1994, The Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives has partnered with dozens of local agencies, non-profits, and state government to study myriad social issues facing this community. Applied and Clinical project areas range from partnering with programs to reduce infant mortality and teen pregnancy, neighborhood needs and assets assessments, to examining the extent and consequences of race relations in the broader community, to assessing the extent of Hunger and Homelessness in the area, and even the Economic Impact of the Arts. In each of these projects, our motto of “Quality Research At Community Prices” has guided our approach – “we can’t do it for free but we are reasonable.” In this paper we examine a sample of these projects to better understand how academic Sociologists’ efforts in the community work to provide local organizations information and expertise on addressing local economic, health and social issues, yet have to navigate the political and social mine-fields of race, sex and social class. We also look at the realignment that was necessary as we coped with the disruptions thrown at us by the COVID-19 Pandemic, including how we refocused our efforts to include new areas of research. We provide experiential suggestions for how Applied and Clinical Social Scientists need to negotiate the political and interpersonal/interagency relationships inherent in social service delivery and evaluation. Most importantly, we examine (question?) where we should go next, and how, in the social climate affecting or society, we can hope to make a difference.