Public Engagement

Harry Boyte and Dennis Donovan teach Public Affairs 1401: "Community Organizing Skills for Public Action" in the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. The course description reads

This is a hands-on introduction for undergraduate students wanting to develop skills, confidence, and knowledge to make positive change in public affairs. It shows how to get past the culture of critique and pessimism that often dominates in higher education. It acquaints students with hopeful examples of successful citizen organizers and organizations working to tackle tough public problems, from racism to teen pregnancy, failing schools to environmental degradation. The course will educate students about a new, broad movement for civic revitalization beginning to stir in Minnesota, and how students can make contributions to it. In PA 1401, students will gain concepts and practical skills such as thinking politically, forming partnerships across lines of difference, understanding diverse self-interests, mapping power, and knowing about the culture, history and social networks needed to make change.

Harry gave me copies of some of the Final Reflection papers, and I present excerpts here, with the permission of the students.

Before enrolling in your class I did not consider myself to be very political. This is not because I did not have any interest in politics, which I did; it was more because I was always taught that politics were not something to be concerned with. Through this class and our discussions I have come to find that politics are not a taboo subject. Politics affect society and our everyday lives and to not be concerned with, or participate in them is detrimental to our society and our personal lives. In a way I am kind of agitated by this class - but agitation is good, right? I am agitated because now I find myself interested in participating in my community. I feel that because of this class my lifestyle and attitudes have changed. I know that this may sound drastic, but I do feel very affected by this course. Maybe it will be most helpful if I discuss what I have found to be the most influential aspects to me.

I must agree with you when you told us about people feeling powerless. I remember feeling saddened and maybe even a bit offended when you said this, but after further consideration, I found it to be painfully true. I did not want to think of myself as powerless, but reflecting on my life I realized that I would make excuses and find contentment in my everyday mediocrity. Now I find myself as shockingly quite competent. I feel not only like I can have a say in my community, but I also feel as though it is my responsibility to do so.

Honestly, the most important and blatantly obvious aspect that I took away from this course is the power and possibilities of people working together. I have never been in a class with such interesting and talented young people. Obviously you both can relate to what I am saying. It was a moving experience just to see people of my own age with so much potential and so much passion for changing our world. Like I stated in class, this course has given me a sense of pride in my generation. I no longer look in history books longing to have been a part of something meaningful and worthwhile because now I realize that I am a part of something meaningful and worthwhile. — Maggie Kalda

=====

Last semester I took a course in global studies; I had to do a research assignment on shanty towns in Lima, Peru. It was one of the most depressing things I have learned about. When I studied slavery in junior high or the Holocaust in high school they were problems of the past…so as tormenting as they were to hear about, it was something I did not have to live with. But now in the present, billions of children are living in shacks and are drinking out of contaminated water. And if I were a pessimist, I would list the other thousands of problems in the world. In history books a hundred years from now children will be reading about these conditions and probably be appalled that people allowed their fellow mankind to suffer. I left my global cities class at the end of the semester with a heavy heart, feeling that the most I could do is sponsor a child and send them twenty-five dollars a month—because hey, saving one life is better than saving none.

I've always felt like making a difference in the world could only be done if you were Oprah, Brad Pitt, or the President. Like a lot of people, I always felt powerless, I always waited for a super hero to be elected and change things. …

I think something is stirring. I think there is a lot of energy—both positive and negative—out there, but I think eventually this huge movement is going to take off. I can feel it. And I hear you guys say all the time that we are making history, and that gives me chills too because I know you're right. — Kelly Heskett

=====

When this class began, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Someone simply told me about a class called "Organizing for the Public Good," and told me that it would be amazing. I had no idea. I came into the class with the mentality that what I was about to experience was going to be challenging coursework, a lot of reading, and a lot of writing. What I actually experienced was a complete shift in the way I see the world and the way I live my life.

As a person, I had to reevaluate my beliefs. I had thought of power as something that was built through relationships, but I don't think I really believed it. As this class rolled onward, I began to truly believe it and it changed the way I see everything. … Instead of trying to gain power through control, we can gain power by sharing it and sharing responsibility.

When I realized that power wasn't what I thought it was, I also realized that I was a powerful person. For the first time, sitting in a position of power with a title didn't define powerful for me. For the first time in my life, I feel like I can really change things and really have an effect on the decisions that are made around me. For the first time I don't feel powerless to change the problems I see in the world around me.

What does it mean then to be a student and a citizen? I know it doesn't mean that I should go vote. It doesn't mean that I need to choose a political party and rally behind their flag. It doesn't even mean that I have to choose a political issue like abortion or gay rights and fight for it with all my energy.

What it does mean is that I am the expert and I am the activist. I am not waiting for other people to fix the problems I see, I can fix them myself and with those around me. As a student, I realize that I have agency and that I can work with others to get things done. It means that I can take power back for myself and return power to those around me. There is no "expert" who will take care of me; I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. …

What does it mean to be citizen-students? It means we are going to change the world. — Alexander Fink

I'll bet we all wish we could have such impacts on the students in our classes. Perhaps if we put public engagement into what we teach, we would.