Damage to Desire

 

There are a couple of key points that Tuck makes. First, damage-centered research is a form of research I have often observed in various urban school settings, including the Providence Public School District. Tuck defines damage-centered research as an approach that represents communities only through their struggles, pain, and deficits. This framework is visible in PPSD in their data collection. 

Most of the district’s progress is measured through their qualitative research; dropout rates, standardized test scores, absenteeism, and graduation statistics, numbers that highlight failure rather than possibility. These numbers portray the symbolic notion that students, families, and the community are broken. Although the numbers can provide proof that the community needs a significant amount of resources to create this change, this does not show the root of what is beneath the ground. These types of researchers do not look at the other factors such as the art, the talent, leadership and creativity that the community has to offer. Applying Tucker’s thoughts of theory of change, PPSD researchers are looking at the damage and this will be a flawed continuation trying to fix it. 

“Desire is the song about walking through the storm, a song that recognizes rather than denies that pain doubtlessly lies ahead.” (11, Tuck)  This quote reminds me of the quote by Vivian Greene, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain" There is always beauty in disasters. Tuck references desire as an alternative way of damage centered research. Desire is about the pain but also the possibility. True care, healing, and research must recognize pain without being defined by it.

This collage is how interpreted this letter, images of damage centered research and how desired research would look in communities. I also added an image of capitalism because I view the idea of damage centered research as a capitalistic approach. The worse the community is doing the more money the district collects. 

I found this diagram online. This is an image that represents the idea of damage to desire. “Studies” leads to data, charts, and clients. This reflects what Tuck critiques: research that defines communities primarily by their deficits, pain, and problems. “Stories” leads to more of an impactful and meaningful change;  the ability to build and fix things. 

After reading Tuck’s letter it was a fresh reminder to look underneath the damage, the root behind it all, look for the sun behind the dark clouds, and find beauty in pain. When conducting my research for my capstone, looking at the information that will be collected should not all be negative, there is desire behind the research.