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Activism and Service-Learning: Reframing Volunteerism As Acts of Dissent

Activism and Service-Learning: Reframing Volunteerism As Acts of Dissent Activism and Service-Learning: Reframing Volunteerism As Acts of Dissent Donna M. Bickford and Nedra Reynolds What are we going to do differently when we get up tomorrow? — Gloria Steinem (1983: 355) Students in a sophomore-level English class were discussing the community service component of the required, one-credit course introducing them to the university. Some reported completing this component on their own; others had done group projects. One student was particularly pleased with her expe- rience: her group had gone to a local beach and picked up litter. The instruc- tor asked her, “Don’t you think it would have been more effective if your group had targeted the source of the pollution on the beach, perhaps by pick- eting at the local businesses that contribute most to the need for beach cleanup?” This student balked at the idea. When asked about performing environmental activism, she claimed immediately and emphatically that it “would go against my beliefs.” This young woman was very keen on community service but almost offended at the idea of activism. What is the difference, and where does this attitude come from? What caused this student’s enthusiasm for community service but her discomfort with activism? We are http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Pedagogy Duke University Press

Activism and Service-Learning: Reframing Volunteerism As Acts of Dissent

Bickford, Donna M.; Reynolds, Nedra
Pedagogy , Volume 2 (2) – Apr 1, 2002
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Copyright
© 2002 Duke University Press
ISSN
1531-4200
eISSN
1533-6255
DOI
10.1215/15314200-2-2-229
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Activism and Service-Learning: Reframing Volunteerism As Acts of Dissent Donna M. Bickford and Nedra Reynolds What are we going to do differently when we get up tomorrow? — Gloria Steinem (1983: 355) Students in a sophomore-level English class were discussing the community service component of the required, one-credit course introducing them to the university. Some reported completing this component on their own; others had done group projects. One student was particularly pleased with her expe- rience: her group had gone to a local beach and picked up litter. The instruc- tor asked her, “Don’t you think it would have been more effective if your group had targeted the source of the pollution on the beach, perhaps by pick- eting at the local businesses that contribute most to the need for beach cleanup?” This student balked at the idea. When asked about performing environmental activism, she claimed immediately and emphatically that it “would go against my beliefs.” This young woman was very keen on community service but almost offended at the idea of activism. What is the difference, and where does this attitude come from? What caused this student’s enthusiasm for community service but her discomfort with activism? We are

Journal

Pedagogy – Duke University Press

Published: Apr 1, 2002

References