Transforming the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Curriculum with Gaventa’s Power Theory

Garry Running, Ruth Cronje, Mike Huggins

University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire

Beyond a “volunteerism” model of service-learning•Challenge our students to include

issues of equality and justice in their civic engagement experiences•Volunteering mutual empowerment•Challenge students to a richer sense

of what it means to live in a democracy

Understanding Power Structures• We’ve been experimenting with introducing

power studies into our curriculum• We’ve been helped by the work of John Gaventa • Our goals for this workshop:• Explain what we’ve been up to and why• Elicit additional insights and ideas from all of

you about how to integrate understanding power structures in a civic engagement course

Our Hero Says…

• “If we want to change power relationships, e.g., to make them more inclusive, just, or pro-poor, we must understand more about where and how to engage” (Gaventa 2006)• Gaventa urges us to “put an understanding

of power back in the centre of our understanding of the concept and practices of participation” (Gaventa 2006)

Positions our curriculum as an element of “Democracy”•demos = the people• kratia = rule or leadership• The purpose of public education is to foster the

development of students as self-actualized participants in a democratic society • Democracy both authorizes and requires “the

people” – all of us! – to participate in conducting public work

John Gaventa’s (1980) Three Dimensions of Power

• First dimension• Observable

decision-making• Easy-peasy

John Gaventa’s second dimension• Hidden power• “controlling who gets to sit at the

decision-making table and what gets on the agenda”

• Encoded in laws and reinforced in the media

“I Had No Idea”: The Silencing of Food Insecurity and the Role of Undergraduate Civic Engagement in Unsilencing the SilentGarry Running, Mike Huggins, Ruth Cronje

Description of class (structure)

• Readings to do with equitability and justice• Survey• Power plate assignment/ Gordy’s trip• Trip to the Community Table• Self-reflection• Final projects (backpack, community

resources database)

Results: Students reflect

• The most memorable moment was quite honestly the power mapping exercise. I had no idea that half of the entities existed, and were somehow related to another! It was amazing to put on a board all of the different groups dedicated to fighting inequality and seeking justice. I loved the early days of sitting around, building rapport and engaging in discussions that were aimed at consciousness raising. It was definitely essential in providing the framework for the rest of the class.

Reflection, cont’d• This course really opened my eyes to the

number of low-income people in Eau Claire, the hardships they face, and how it affects their health. Actually doing a project to help the issue makes me feel empowered.

• My expectations for this course were not only met, but exceeded. I feel much more confident as a civic agent in my community.

Results: Students recognize their own ignoranceI feel this class really opened my eyes to a real problem that I had never really thought about or had any previous experience with. Actually doing something to help the problem made me feel empowered.

[and yet, the real story is that the astounding level of food insecurity in Eau Claire is not common knowledge]

Data from course post-survey

•Understanding of poverty in our community = 3.92 (of a possible 4)•Ability to reflect on my own biases and prejudices = 3.77

Conclusion

• Students in our civic engagement course recognize Gaventa’s 2nd dimension of power with regard to food insecurity in their community• They recognize that the prevalence of

food insecurity in Eau Claire is not “on the agenda”

Low-Income Civic Agency: What Does It Take to Take Civic Action?Kali Boldt, Ruth Cronje. Greg Neson, Gabrielle Schmidt

John Gaventa’s third dimension• Invisible power• “shapes the psychological and ideological

boundaries of participation”• “significant problems and issues are not only kept

from the decision-making table but also from the minds and consciousness of the different players involved, even those directly affected by the problem. By influencing how individuals think about their place in the world, this level of power shapes peoples beliefs, sense of self, and acceptance of the status-quo-even their own superiority or inferiority.”

Our study addressed “quiescence”

Quiescence: Why, when people live in undesirable conditions, do they NOT “rise up” and exert their democratic power to replace their leaders?

Why study low-income individuals?• Low-income people can have self-

stigmatizing beliefs (Bullock 1999; Corazelli 2001)• Low-income people tend to be

civically quiescent (Gaventa 1982; Croteau 1995;

Site: Community Table of Eau Claire• Location in Eau Claire where anyone is able to go and receive a

free hot meal• Chosen because we could assume guests are low income or

food insecure

Participant-Observation “arm”• Attended nine meals at Community Table; ate and sat with

guests• Listened to and participated in conversations happening at the

tables• Notes afterwards• Co-witnessed for reliability• Snow & Anderson themes to independently code• Kappa agreement of 0.85 on our coding decisions

Associational distancing

“These kids who are on the street, they keep coming here year after year; they’re on the street because they want to be.”

Embellishment:

[One male guest stated] that although he had dislocated his shoulder, broken his hand, and had bone-deep lacerations in his arm, he had not received medical attention due to lack of funds and sought to treat himself. He did so by re-setting his own shoulder and making a splint and super-gluing his wounds together to allow them to heal. [A fellow guest] inquired about infections; the younger man stated he had a strong immune system and has never been “truly infected.” He indicated he did not like taking drugs and could “handle pain.”

Ideological embracement:

• “I’m the Christian the devil warned you about” tee shirt

• “Where do you have Jesus in your life? … I’ve lost Jesus for long times in my life. But, he’s always there for you if you look to him.”

Ethnographic results gave evidence consistent with self-stigmatizing attitudes

Methods: Survey “arm”24-Item Survey

Then, CTEC Guests Invited to Take Action• Sign a petition• Write a letter• Both

We had petitions prepared for both supporting and opposing the proposed cuts to the SNAP food program – nonpartisan opportunity to participate

The vast majority of people collecting food stamp benefits have which of the following attributes?

FAM

ILY

HARDWORKIN

G

PHYSICALL

Y ILL

ABUSE D

RUGSLA

ZY

HEALTHY

CAPABLE

STUPID

VIOLE

NT

RESPONSIB

LE

INTELL

IGENT

UNLUCKY

DEPRESSED

PROMISC

UOUS0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

67%

58%53%

33%

21%

45%41%

18% 18%

59%

49%53% 53%

16%

Knowledgeable versus Unknowledgeable Guests

Only 21 guests were considered knowledgeable about the SNAP program

29%

71%

Knowledgable

Unknowledgable

Civic Action

A total of 48 respondents to the survey took action.

34%

37%

29%

NonePetitionPetition and Letter

Why, in your opinion, are there people in this country who live in need? Here are two opinions: Which comes closest to your view?

People are poor because they are lazy.

People are poor because society treats them unfairly.

35%

65%

Action No Action

70%

30%

Action No Action

What can we conclude?• Ethnographic observations suggest Community Table guests

share (self-) stigmatizing attitudes and their “identity work” discourse provides evidence that their ideologies have been “colonized” by elite values

• Survey + Petition/Letters study provides evidence that respondents with self-stigmatizing values were less willing to take civic action

• Some guests with self-stigmatizing beliefs were nonetheless willing to participate in the civic action we offered them

What is our responsibility as educators in CE experiences involving low-income citizens?

•Help our students understand the dimensions of power: teach Gaventa•Help our students realize that all

three of these dimensions impinge on the ability of low-income citizens to deploy their power •????

Discussion1. What community issues do you address in

your civic engagement courses?2. To what extent does Gaventa’s third

dimension of power impinge upon the civic agency of stakeholders for any of these issues?

3. What kinds of assignments or learning experiences highlighting the third dimension of power could we integrate into our civic engagement courses?

Acknowledgements• Rachel Keniston and the Community Table of Eau Claire• The UWEC Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, who

funded this research• The UWEC Honors Program