Here’s the syllabus and link to the bibliography for my spring, 2016, Community Engagement course. The course meets Thursdays from 1:00-3:50pm at the Library and Information Science building, 501 E. Daniel St., Champaign. Thanks to my students from the spring, 2015, course for their invaluable feedback which I have tried to incorporate into this updated… Continue reading Community Engagement, Spring 2016
Community happens when the many realize their oneness1 … When the neighbor is loved as the self;2 When the suffering that is experienced by the one directly is also suffered by the many indirectly;3 When the common good – and especially the good of the poor, the oppressed, the stranger – is cherished as well as… Continue reading Community happens when…
Our community engagement class has crossed the mid-point and is now on spring break. The challenge over break is for us to review course readings to date to come up with our personal theories of community, engagement, and social change to foster community. So often we respond positively or negatively to an engagement program or methodology… Continue reading Creating a personal theory of community, engagement, and social change to foster community
I would categorize both my professional and personal vocation as fostering community. As with any such development work, this brings with it value judgements of what should be improved so as to foster community. I’m increasingly finding, however, that our country’s myopic focus on economic growth as measured by the gross domestic product is counter to… Continue reading Distinguishing Individualism — the Capability Approach and Fostering Community
Knowing the ultimate reason we are doing what we’re doing is so important, allowing us to work backwards to make sure we are maximizing limited resources but also helping to assure we are using processes consistent with the end goal. I often find it takes a lot of soul searching to distinguish interim hoped for… Continue reading The Impact: Citizens Affecting Social Change
