Social Justice Education
Through Service-Learning
in the Higher Education
Curriculum
Glenn A. Bowen, PhD
Barry 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
Community
service
Course
Work
Reflection
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
Maintains status quo
Systemic approach
directed at causes
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 State
Monterey 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 in
My 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 servicelearning 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 servicelearning 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, PhD
Director
Center for Community Service Initiatives
gbowen@barry.edu