In this paper, the authors look at how service learning, even though it can be activist, is confused with charitable work and volunteerism. Also, how CSL can be helpful in class and in placements to create better citizens who are can combine consciousness with action and reflection. They argue that a broader historical and geographical approach will give a better meaning to dissent and how students can see CSL as activist.
Why are student comfortable with the idea of service learning or volunteering but seem to be estranged at the idea of activism? I do agree with the authors that one of the down falls of CSL is that people ask the question of how I can help these people but rarely ask why the situation is this way to begin with. CSL in my view is to get students to ask why the problem exists to begin with in some classes but students seem to fail to address that in class.
In addition, the short duration of CSL inhibits the ability of students to create any meaningful relationship during their CSL. The authors feel that there should be a longer commitment to the organization in a way to benefit the organizations more and to cause deeper thinking in relation to the issues in society to occur.
The point made by the author that “few students understand
their service as a contribution to structural social change” is worth examining. Because most students do not realize how significant their service learning at the grassroots affects the community they interact with during their service tenure and the activist role they play while performing their service learning. I can relate this comment to my 4-week cultural immersion in Ghana last summer when we had to visit the Liberian Buduburam refugee camp in the capital, Accra. During our visit, we interacted with the musical artistes at the camp on ways to get their music out in Canada, and for people to hear about their plight. What I observed during this visit how moving this visit of ours was to me. It might not have meant much to some members of our group but it meant a lot to these artistes. To add to this, UOFA did a release of their debut CD on campus last semester, which we had to attend. I think this interaction with the musical artistes and the release of their debut CD is a good example of how we as students can explore moments like these to display our activist capabilities during our service learning to world in various ways as well as highlight the struggles of these refugees in sub-Saharan Africa.
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When the Authors discuss how activism has a negative stigma around it, I would agree with this. In talking with CSL students from last semester, many of them said that they did not want to be referred to as activist because of the way that people could perceive it. In their mind, activism is perceived as a negative thing. The impact that they wanted to have on the community was a positive one and they would rather be referred to as community developers/enhancers, or individuals creating change, as supposed to activists. I think it humorous because as we discussed in class, these descriptions could be used to define activism. Which brings up the question of whether or not the majority of individuals understand what true activism is. Because if it truly is something as simple as creating awareness, making changes or initiating conversations; then why do so many people shy away from the word?
ReplyDeleteRegarding your comment about the short duration of CSL, I agree with the author on this point. For us this semester, we are only with our organizations for maybe 4-5 weeks. In a normal semester it may be a similar time period. That is a very short time frame and it makes it hard to make drastic changes at the social level, structurally. The solution to this problem that the authors propose, in my opinion is a very beneficial one and one that I think administrators need to consider. They suggest that we make our commitment to the community partner a longer one, that way we can have a deeper understanding of the issues that are present.
I think that we could be more activist in creating change and working with the organizations if some CSL placements were 8 months long, as opposed to 2 or 3, or in this case 4-5 weeks. There is an underlying hope that students will stay and work with their placement, even after their time requirement is up, but this may not always be the case.
Your concluding remarks that the author makes regarding students not understanding their service as a contribution to structural social change is very important one. For me, it brings up several questions. What is the point of service learning if we do not understand its purpose? Is it okay to see service learning as merely a volunteer experience? If we want students to be activists and contribute to structural social change, why is this not emphasized more in the classroom? How do we change societal stereotypes of activism so that it is viewed as something positive?
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ReplyDeleteService-learning as defined by Thomas Deans includes, “community service writing, community-based learning, literate social action, activist research, or academic outreach” (230). The use of the term ‘activist’ makes numerous individuals uneasy about drawing a parallel between the two concepts (service learning & activism). But what exactly is activism? This is a fundamental question that needs to be addressed and illustrates the power of semantics within our society. The concept of semantics and how it directly relates to our understanding of the world is greatly under appreciated. The majority of people use words without understanding that certain words can be perceived and interpreted in different ways. The importance of the connotation versus denotation of words is crucial in understanding the language of a society. So it brings me back to my initial question; what is activism?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christie and Ellis when it is stated that the term activism has many negative connotations surrounding it. Depending on what the term activist represents in a society has a significant effect on the societal response. In our society the word activist usually has a negative connotation and conjures up the image of someone who is an extremist, someone who challenges one or more societal norms to a radical level. Activists are not usually seen, as mentioned by the authors of the article, as “heroes, courageous, and dedicated in ways that seem impossible to emulate” (238). I agree with the irony Christie presents when she explores the many of definitions provided to her about what service-learning is to an individual and how it could potentially be considered activist. The term activist in society needs to be reframed in a way which includes many of the definitions we discussed in class; awareness, challenging the status quo, education and advocacy.
I disagree with the author’s statement on the duration of a community service-learning placement. It is not the short duration that causes problems; I believe it is the conceptualization of the experience that causes the most confusion. Not only does the individual participating in the service-learning have to have an understanding of the organization and what it will offer them, the organization also has to have an understanding of what the individual can bring to the organization. As mentioned several times in class, the relationship must be reciprocal.
It is crucial for the individuals involved in community service-learning to acknowledge the potential they have in creating social change; otherwise there would be minimal benefit to participating in service-learning.
I agree with Sarah in the power of semantics. It is exactly what deters individuals from becoming involved with CSL learning if there is a context of activism. But the two are not one in the same. Firstly, what is activism? While Sarah mentioned some of the (very true) negative connotations, as well as what needs to be added to the definition, I am going to add on something I vaguely remember from class: Activism is challenging dominant narratives for the purpose of political or social change.
ReplyDeleteSo, activism can exist on multiple levels. Whether it be on the most mild of extremes, for example picking up that stray can that you see bouncing upon the pavement and bringing it to a recycling bin. This is activism. Or if it is organizing a rally to march hundreds of people to the government buildings. It seems that people are too focused on scale in regards to activism. Its always the individual versus the collective. But without individual action the collective can not occur. A collective action is simply a mass group of individuals making change for a common goal. While it is true that collective action can be more effective than individual, cheapening the sometimes mild actions of the individual by not labeling it as activist seems to be fighting against your own cause. If everyone picked up a stray can, there would be a lot less cans kicking around.
So now, what is CSL? I think that is exactly what the name implies: learning through providing service to the community. This may be activist, but it does not have to be. For example, volunteering at, let's say, an art gallery. There is nothing inherently activist about an art gallery. It is simply a place. A place that provides space for art to be exhibited. While some of this art may or may not be activist, it is not an essential aspect of the place. So to say that the CSL placement is activist is completely dependent on if there is activist art being exhibited. If there is no activist art, the placement is not activist.