Alongside Community: Learning in Service

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.

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.