Social Justice Education Through Service-Learning in the Higher Education Curriculum Glenn A. Bowen,...

Social Justice Education Through Service-

Learning in the Higher Education Curriculum

Glenn A. Bowen, PhDBarry University

13th Biennial Colloquium of Dominican Colleges and Universities

June 13, 2014

Outline

Manifestations of Social Injustice Definitions Service Paradigms Characteristics of Social Justice Education Social Justice-Focused Service-Learning Challenges

Manifestations of Social Injustice

Social Justice Defined

The movement of society toward more equality, support for diversity, economic fairness, nonviolent conflict resolution, and participatory democracy (Warren, 1998)

“When one’s goal is social justice, one attempts to alter the structural or institutional practices that produce excessive or unjustified inequalities among individuals or that treat people unfairly—for example, discriminating among people on the basis of race, sex, social class, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability status.” (Marullo & Edwards, 2000, p. 899)

Social Justice Education

Social justice education involves increasing students’ awareness of social inequalities, identifying the roles that individuals and institutions play in maintaining such inequalities, and taking corrective action.

(Meyers, 2009)

Service-Learning Defined

A teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with course work and critical reflection to enrich the learning experience, foster civic responsibility, and strengthen communities

Service Paradigms

CHARITY SOCIAL JUSTICE

Community as recipient

Community as partner

Usually direct service Often indirect service—Advocacy; social action

Promotes dependence Promotes empowerment

Superficial approach directed at effects

Systemic approach directed at causes

Maintains status quo Promotes social change

Characteristics of Social Justice Education

• Student-centered • Collaborative• Experiential• Intellectual• Analytical• Multicultural• Value-based• Activist

(Wade, 2001)

Examples of Social Justice-Focused Service-Learning Courses

COURSE PURPOSE/FOCUS FEATURES OF COURSE

American Society(Denison University)

Assessment of community strengths/assets and weaknesses

Partnership with Community Policing Association; “Disposable Camera Exercise”

Advocacy for the Common Good (Notre Dame)

Understanding of advocacy through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching; cultivate skills that empower students to work for justice

Collaboration with Catholic Relief Services; advocacy training; group work—developing and implementing campaigns involving research, media coverage, and public meetings with “power holders”

Business 303S: Community Economic Development(Cal StateMonterey Bay)

Cultural identity; how power relationships among cultural groups affect local economic development and resource distribution; “How can businesses balance the ‘triple bottom lines’ of profit, people, and planet?”

50 hours of service to local schools, businesses, social service agencies, and economic development corporations struggling to be profitable while having a positive community impact

Research as a Tool for Change(UMass Amherst)

Developing framework for analyzing social problems and social change process

Readings and discussion (Later: Research on a community issue; implementation of plan)

Social Justice Features inMy Service-Learning Course

CHARACTERISTICS ELEMENTS OF COURSE

Student-centered

Collaborative

Experiential

Intellectual

Analytical

Multicultural

Value-based

Activist (Sociology example from Bowen, 2014)

“When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint.

When I ask why people are hungry,

they call me a communist.” – Hélder Câmara, Brazilian Catholic

Archbishop (1909-1999)

Challenges

Faculty avoidance of politically oriented activities

Fear of questioning the status quo Failure to develop clear understanding of

social justice goals and issues Limited time and other resources Fear of loss of control Changing faculty modus operandi

– Experts/consultants vs. collaborators Short-term nature of curriculum and

projects

References

Bowen, G. A. (2014). Promoting social change through service-learning in the curriculum. Journal of Effective Teaching, 14(1), 51–62.

Meyers, S. A. (2009). Service learning as an opportunity for personal and social transformation. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 21(3), 373–381.

Wade, R. (2001). “… And justice for all’’: Community service-learning for social justice (ECS Issue Paper: Community Service/Service-Learning). Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States.

Warren, K. (1998). Educating students for social justice in service learning. The Journal of Experiential Education, 21(3), 134–139.

Glenn A. Bowen, PhDDirectorCenter for Community Service Initiatives

gbowen@barry.edu