Alongside Community is a step-by-step guide that prepares social science students to be democratic citizens by examining the theory, method, and sociopolitical dynamics that impact helping those different from oneself. The first part of this book explores the more theoretical issues of helping others, including issues of social identity, values, and power. The second part of this guidebook examines action-based methods; interventions available for community-based engagement; and the sociopolitical issues that inevitably arise for those who strive to create social change including issues of race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, mental health, educational and environmental justice along with suggestions on how to address these issues. The third part of Alongside Community critically explores how to measure the impact of community service on major stakeholders including student, faculty, college and community agency and ends with reflections and suggestions on how to be a lifelong civically engaged citizen.
Introduction
PART I LEARNING TO SERVE
1. Complexities of helping and serving
2. Roles of values, power and social identity in serving
PART II BUILDING YOUR HELPING SKILLS AND SOCIO POLITICAL AWARENESS
3. Researching for Social Change
4. Intervening to Promote Empowerment
5. Reflecting on helping
6. Building interpersonal skills
7. Becoming culturally sensitive
8. Supporting gender and sexual orientation identity
9. Navigating educational systems
10. Practicing environmental Justice
PART III. ASSESSING YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
11. Did you make a difference?
12. Now what?
Acknowledgements
References
Index
Biography
Debra A. Harkins, PhD, is an associate professor in Psychology at Suffolk University. Debra teaches Community Psychology, Psychology of Self and Identity, and Voices in Conflict.
