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III.7 - Dialogue III: Public Sociology Practices, Privatising Universities
- Edited by Eurig Scandrett, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
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- Book:
- Public Sociology as Educational Practice
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 02 March 2021
- Print publication:
- 14 September 2020, pp 331-342
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Summary
As a dialogue, this section engaged a wider range of participants than previous attempts. The email invitation to respond to the provocation and cases generated responses from contributors to four of the six cases, interestingly reflecting the contexts of England and Scotland; early career and recently retired academics, on more or less precarious contracts; and in ancient and modern universities. To what extent is public sociology as educational practice sustainable, even possible, within the neoliberal university? The challenges of engaging with integrity in educational practice within the neoliberal university, however that is mediated and experienced, has prompted an engaging and impassioned debate which will undoubtedly continue. Moreover, the personal cost of public sociology as educational practice has also been articulated. The context of the neoliberal university makes public sociology, and indeed educational practice with any integrity, a constant battle: exhausting, upsetting and demoralising. The medium of email exchange has mediated the emotional content, but the experience of rage, and tears, and indignation, is clearly shared by the dialogical participants.
The focus of this section is on the university, the institution in which many public sociologists are located, at least partially. To what extent does the neoliberal university provide spaces for public sociology education, for the generation of really useful knowledge with subaltern counterpublics? Elsewhere Scandrett argued that ‘The current crisis potentially makes universities privileged places for the realisation of mass intellectuality, because they are educational spaces in which the structural contradictions of neoliberal capital are so explicitly being played out’ (Scandrett, 2017: 83). Can this be argued for public sociology education? Should we understand these spaces, such as those documented in this section, to be because of (as opposed to despite) the structural contradictions of neoliberal capitalism? This assertion proved to be controversial in dialogue with the contributors.
Lena Wånggren, for example, questioned the assertion that the neoliberal university provides spaces for public sociology education, and ‘mass intellectuality’. Because (as the collection asks elsewhere) of who gets to enter this educational space of knowledge production? Who gets to be considered as knowledge producer? Many do not even have a chance to enter the university space because of institutional racism, sexism, border controls, and capitalism: tuition fees still apply in Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) – it is only Scottish and (for now) EU students who do not pay them, and only undergraduate studies are free.
III.5 - Reflections on our Critical Service Learning Provision: Is it Critical or Are We Social Justice Dreamers?
- Edited by Eurig Scandrett, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
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- Book:
- Public Sociology as Educational Practice
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 02 March 2021
- Print publication:
- 14 September 2020, pp 299-314
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Summary
Introduction
In 2013 we ran a small but successful service learning pilot in the department of sociology at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Immediately following the pilot, service learning was added to our BA Sociology, BA Criminology and MA Public Sociology provision as core modules. In brief, we argue our version of service learning sits within a social justice orientation, often referred to as critical service learning. Simply put, this involves students working in partnership with our notfor-profit community on social justice issues for the purpose of social change and mutual benefit for community partners and students. These are big claims. Whether the service learning we do at NTU genuinely extends beyond the dream of social justice is at the heart of this chapter.
The chapter begins by defining service learning followed by an exploration of the traditional versus critical service learning debate, an overview of our practices and values and why and how we do it. To illustrate and interrogate our practices we introduce three projects to highlight the traditional-critical learning debate and, finally, offer ideas for discussion on how to build sustainable and critical service learning. In presenting these reflections we hope to re-energise our social justice aspirations, share our practices and extend opportunities for critical dialogue with those engaged in public sociology education.
Defining service learning and introducing the traditional versus the critical debate
There are many schools, colleges and universities delivering many versions of service learning. Students provide a ‘service’ to the community for a specific purpose or goal and, in return, learn through the experience. Service learning can be embedded within the curriculum for disciplinary connections, with or without academic credit and/or part of volunteering strategies. At the least critical level, it can be described as an experiential learning opportunity; students learn whilst providing a ‘service’ for, or determined by, the community. The ‘service’ can take a variety of forms including traditional research, planning an event, promoting/evaluating new initiatives for partners. Whilst relatively new to the UK, service learning has a long history in North American universities where it is largely embedded and resourced as a university-wide endeavour. In other words, it has become institutionalised (Furco, 1996; Jacoby, 2014). Importantly, we recognise the label of service learning as new to the UK, but acknowledge the practice is not.
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