As a student at the University of Michigan, do you ever think about the role that the university should play in the broader community? When you think of this broader “community,” who or what comes to mind? And what does it mean for members of a university to collaborate with members of a community? What is “engaged learning,” and how does it differ from “service learning”? How would you define “social justice,” and what does social justice have to do with earning a college degree?
In this course, we’ll address these questions through historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives. In discussing the history of community engaged learning, we’ll explore some of the possibilities and challenges that emerge when universities and communities work together to address particular problems or accomplish shared goals. As we investigate the theory and methods of community engaged learning, we’ll explore what’s at stake in various attempts to name community-oriented research and learning, and we’ll discuss the many skills and forms of self-awareness that are necessary for collaborating with others across lines of racial, class, gender, geographical, and/or national difference. Focusing on particular examples of community engaged learning projects, we’ll also consider the varied forms that social justice can take, including legal remedies, policy changes, improved living conditions, political or cultural recognition, and preservation of a particular culture or history. Our course readings will be supplemented by class visits from University of Michigan professors, students, and alumni who have participated in community engaged learning projects that focus on issues such as the following: imprisonment, war trauma, urban education, maternal/child health, documenting communal history, HIV-education, and environmental education for girls. As a class, we’ll also explore new possibilities for collaborating with a community partner about an issue of shared concern.
In addition to various reading and writing assignments, course requirements will include conducting, transcribing, and analyzing an interview with a community member of your choice. This hands-on course promises to be a challenging but rewarding experience!
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