Foundations of Community-Engaged Leadership

In the 21st century we will see America�s greatness hinge on our ability to leverage the collective human capital of the American people. President George H. Bush�s legacy of a �thousand points of light� extending and connecting communities reminds us of the importance of everyday people accepting the responsibilities of citizenship with a clear sense of purpose, duty, and honor. The challenge that confronts our society is how to translate the abstract obligations associated with being a member of a community to concrete action that is focused on meaningful social, political, and economic change. In this course students will consider how individual rights, and associated obligations, can transform general commitments to service into a robust model of community-engaged leadership. We will focus how the methods of democratic engagement and redefine systems, organizations, and institutions that structure issues confronting our society. We will problematize key ideas tied to charity, volunteerism, and service to illuminate a method of democratic engagement, connected to a form of community-engaged leadership, which is focused on creating positive community impact.

This course is designed for students that are beginning to seriously consider their role as community-engaged leaders. In this course we examine how the complacency included in most conceptions of public action not only fails to achieve democratic ideals, but also constitutes a larger threat to democratic institutions that rely on meaningful social, political, moral, and economic engagement. We will problematize contemporary conceptions of public action in order to more fully understand the components of engagement.

Through readings, discussions, dialogue, deliberation, and service-learning pedagogies, this course will give you the opportunity to learn about theories and applied actions of democratic engagement. This process should constantly force you to question the relationship between the �world as it is� vs. �the world as it should be.� The course will highlight the relationship between attention and activity, as these concepts relate to maintaining a meaningful engagement practice. The goal will be to use the engagement framework included in this course to complete projects that are co-produced and develop the democratic efficacy/capacity of those working to address serious community issues. Students will also be encouraged to consider how the methods of democratic engagement and community-engaged leadership intersect their academic disciplines and future professional careers.

Credit units will be provided by Portland State University and are valid in all 50 states.