CRITICAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

This course explores the relationship between social justice movements and non-profit

organizations in the U.S. by providing a structure within which students can learn about issues

and theory and the organizational settings in which they are serving. There will be a particular

focus on community engagement in Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Theorists and practitioners continue to debate how to bring community issues into the

classroom and how best to bring students into the neighborhoods surrounding their colleges

and universities. CSS 201 considers these issues through exposure to both the literature of

community engagement and the experiences of those who practice its different forms. There will

be a focus on the role of Asset-Based Community Development and Intersectionality in

movement building.

The class will identify and explore the ethical issues that characterize community

partnerships and the best practices that attempt to address these issues. Students will also

interact with peers, faculty, guest speakers and community members who will provide first-hand

perspectives on the local practice of CBL and the critical needs in surrounding communities.