Thanks to Greig Stewart and David Droge for commenting on the recent work of
Robert Putnam, which is definitely worth looking at for purposes of
integrating it into service-learning courses. But note that Putnam has
little to say directly about community service. His thesis is essentially
that the decline of associational life in the United States is threatening
the quality of democracy as well as the ability of government to efficiently
help solve social problems and develop economically. It is very much in the
tradition of the "habits of the heart" strain of thinking: secondary
associations tend to build networks of reciprocity, trust, etc., and this is
what complex societies need, as opposed to "radical individualism." Having
said that, it is clearly relevant to us in service-learning to consider that
community service may be an excellent device for getting our students
attuned to society's need for secondary associational life. Faculty
considering using Putnam -- and I do use that work enthusiastically,
incidentally -- will need to use the classroom and reflection sessions to
get that intermediate step clear in everyone's mind. Work by Ben Barber,
clearly more oriented to the study of the direct impact of community service
on citizenship and democracy, can help bridge the theoretical gap between
Putnam and the goal of improving the quality of social and political life in
a democracy.
People should read both articles cited in Greig's message, the Journal of
Democracy piece (see below for an electronic location) AND the American
Prospect article "The Strange Disappearance of Civic America" (Winter 1996).
Then, ask your classes to discuss these questions: how villainous is the
villain Putnam indicts? What can be done about it? Can service help in
this struggle?
David Droge is absolutely correct, in my opinion, about the
relevance of Putnam and service learning for the "recovery" of American
universities -- but boy is it hard to get even a quite progressive
department of colleagues to consider having service-learning become the
centerpiece of a curriculum or major, even when these arguments are raised.
It turns out that some of my "radical" friends, somewhat hostile to the
traditional canon etc etc, are stilled mired in the view of academic life
as more valid if it's ivory tower-ish; they seem to say that it's that
distance, the objectivity, that validates us, not real community connecting.
What to do?
Bob Trudeau
At 06:40 PM 2/29/96 -0500, you wrote:
>
>On building bowling teams
>
>Putnam's work is not only important, but it resonates with recent work by
>other writers who lament the "disconnect" between the academy and public
>life. The Kettering Foundation's Higher Education Exchange for 1995 is
>filled with essays that address this "disconnect" directly. To take Putnam
>and others seriously is to make service-learning part of the recovery of an
>historic mission of colleges and universities (albeit in times in which
>access to higher ed was much more limited).
>
>Full text of Bowling Alone is available at http://epn.org/
>That's the electronic policy network website--DD
>
>> . . . a sobering metaphorical title for Robert Putnam's essay,
>>originally published in the Journal of Democracy. More recently, he
>>expanded it for the winter issue of The American Prospect. Also, a
>>discussion is provided in the 3/1/96 Chronicle of Higher Education
>>(pp. A10,12).
>>
>>
>>Might we, as service-learning educators, examine his thesis of
>>America's dwindling sense of community and explore how he can inform
>>our practice and our thinking?
>>
>>Might we, as service-learning educators, have something to offer to
>>the public dialog created by the recent media interest in Putnam's
>>essay?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Greig (Stewart)
>>College of Journalism, University of Maryland
>>College Park, MD 20742-7111
>>phone=301 405-2390 fax=301 314 9166
>>e-mail=Gstewart@jmail.umd.edu
>>_____________________________________________________
>>If the world were a town of 1,000 people,
>>There would be 564 Asians, 210 Europeans, 86 Africans
>>80 South Americans, 60 North Americans. In this town,
>>there would be approximately 100 gay men and/or lesbians.
>>And in this town, 700 would be illiterate, 500 would be hungry.
>>
>>De-isolate, empathize, educate, act!
>
>David Droge For a moment's diversion go to
>Communication and Theatre Arts http://world.std.com/~jhuskamp/
>University of Puget Sound You will need a SoundMachine
>1500 N Warner St. application to hear our little band.
>Tacoma, WA 98406
>(206)756-3333 (office)
>(206)756-3500 (fax)
>
>No deductions for spelling errors on e-mail!
>
>
>
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Nothin' left to do but Smile, Smile, Smile.
Robert H. Trudeau; Political Science Department; Providence College
Providence, RI 02918; (401) 865-2629; fax: (401) 865-1222
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