An increasing number of International Relations scholars engage with audiences and communities beyond academia as part of their work. In a new chapter in the Handbook of International Relations titled "Bridging the Gap in International Relations," SIS Professors Susanna Campbell and Jordan Tama discuss competing perspectives on whether scholars should seek to bridge the gap between research and policy, outline established and emerging practices for bridging the gap, and suggest avenues for further research on the links between research and policy.

On the question of whether to bridge the gap, Campbell and Tama discuss competing perspectives, from the view that the quality of research is maximized when scholars preserve distance from policy concerns to the view that scholars have a societal responsibility to contribute to public conversations and that engagement with practitioners enhances scholarly work. On the practice of bridging, they highlight long-standing practices, such as public writing, media appearances, public sector fellowships, think tank affiliations, government contracts and impact evaluations, as well as newer practices that center on the development of sustained partnerships between scholars and practitioners for the co-creation of knowledge. Finally, with regard to further research, they call for new studies of the character of bridging across policy contexts and the effectiveness of different bridging practices.

The chapter draws on Campbell and Tama's respective experiences leading efforts to connect research and policy, including through Bridging the Gap, the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab, and the Translating Research into Action Center.