This service learning course will provide students with an opportunity to apply social research skills in the context of performing community service. We will explore issues related to homelessness, family violence and criminal justice combining field experience and scholarly work in these areas. Objectives here are to gain familiarity with social problems and social responses, to learn about their communities as social scientists and to examine relationships among individuals, families, organizations and the state.

Requirements and grading

Final Paper 30%
Site Visit Reports 10%
Final Product 20%
Special reports 30%
Communities & higher education 10%
Civic arts 10%
Community study 10%
Journaling/ field notes 10%
Class presentations 10%
Class participation 10%
Final Reflection Essay 10%

Students are required in this course to be involved in field work, preferably work that involves service to the community. Community here is broadly defined. Students enrolled in this course to complete an internship requirement must work in the field ten hours per week. The final paper will provide the student with an opportunity to examine and present what has been learned in the field. This final project will link field knowledge to an appropriate literature in sociology. There are no examinations in this class. You will be demonstrating "learning" by virtue of your written work and class presentations.

Materials – Purchase a three-ring binder to hold articles and other handouts. You will need to purchase a separate notebook or create a system to take field notes. These will be collected and responded to three times over the semester. Also, at the end of the semester, you will submit all the work you have done over the semester as a collection.

Articles on reserve - Articles will be on reserve at the library. Please obtain a picture ID so you may take these out.

E-mail and the internet- I will be providing a list of helpful and interesting internet resources so you can learn what other students are doing in these sorts of courses nationwide.

Class participation is required. We have limited enrollment to 20 in this class so that we can employ a seminar design. This means that success of the learning opportunity depends on you and your fellow students. This course has been designed to surface some important and controversial topics. I do not expect or desire universal agreement by all students. I do expect respect of each others' opinions, positions and rights to learn and grow. You should come to class having read all the assigned material.

Required texts:

Nyden, Philip et al. 1997. Building a Community: Social Science in Action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Coles, Robert. 1993. The Call of Service. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Jorgenson, Danny L. 1989. Participant Observation: A methodology for Human Studies.

On Reserve
Fisher, Nadler and Alagna. "Recipient Reactions to Aid." Psychological Bulletin 91(1) 27-54

Putnam, Robert. "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital." Journal of
Democracy Volume 6, No. 1 January 1995.

Ramos, Francisco Martins. "My American Glasses." In Phillip DeVita and James D. Armstrong Distant Mirrors: America as a Foreign Culture. Belmont, CA: Wedsworth Publishing.

Bunis, William K., Angela Yancik, and David A. Snow. 1996. "The Cultural Patterning of Sympathy Toward the Homeless and Other Victims of Misfortune." Social Problems, 43:4, 387-402.

Hursh, Barbara. 1981. "Learning Through Questioning in Field Programs." In Lenore Borzak (Editor) Field Study: A Sourcebook for Experiential Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Steele, Shelby. 1990. "I'm Black, You're White, Who's Innocent? The Content of Our Character." New York: St. Martin's Press.

Bellah, Robert. 1985. Habits of the Heart. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press.

Anspach, Renee R. 1991. "Everyday Methods for Assessing Organizational Effectiveness." Social Problems 38(l):1-19.

Walker, Alice. 1997. Anything We Love Can Be Saved: A Writer's Activism. New York: Ballantine Books. Introduction, xxi-xxv.

Coles, Robert. 1993. The Call of Service: A Witness to Idealism. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Chapter 2 Kinds of Service & Chapter 5 Doing and Learning & Epilogue

Roby, Pamela Ann. 1998. "Creating a just World: Leadership for the Twenty-First Century." Social Problems 45:1-20.

Lofland, John and Lynn H. Lofland. 1995. Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Oualitative Observation and Analysis 3rd Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. Chapter 5

Assignments –
Materials with asterisk are on reserve *

Class one
Overview of course
Introduction to service learning
Models and opportunities
Reflection guides: Introduction to fieldwork
Starting field notes and journaling

Coles Handout; Boyer Handout

Class two
Morton and Saltmarsh (MJCSL)
Qualitative research

Walker Introduction"
McKnight in class

Class three
Finding literature about the setting
Two page report due 10 points
Lofland and Lofland*

Class four
The helping relationship
Coles Ch. 2*

Class five
Community and gender
Hatcher (MJCSL)

Class six
Coles Ch. 5*

Class seven
Bunis *
Community study due (15 points)

Class eight
Anspach*
Field notes (Part 1) (10 points)

Class nine
Bullard and Malloney (MJCSL)

Class ten
Field trips and discussion questions

No class

Class eleven
Putnam*
Civic Arts project due (15 points)

Class twelve
Nonprofits: Community foundations
Coles Epilogue*

Class thirteen
Hayes and Cuban (MJCSL)
Field notes (Part 11) (10 points)
Class presentations from the field

Class fourteen
Class presentations
Roby*
Final Paper due (20 points)

Additional readings may be assigned. Because we are covering topics that are newsworthy and the subject of considerable debate, I may add items to our readings that are found in the popular media and academic press.


Information on course requirements

Special Reports
Civic arts: Responsibilities of citizenship; what does this mean? what are the links between the social and the political? what are obligations as members of the civil society?

Assignment: One of the obligations of citizenship is keeping informed aboutissues or letting elected representatives know about our opinions about publicpolicy. The assignment here is to prepare a letter to the editor, to an electedofficial, to a director of a nonprofit organization to inform them about an issueimportant to you. You also have the option of attending a public meeting andsending a follow-up letter to the organizers. These letters will be discussed inclass. 15 points Due date: November 18

Community study: In most communities, individuals and organizations are working to solve problems. These efforts may be taken up by individuals, nonprofit organizations, churches and publicly-funded organizations. Select one of the following issues (homelessness, hunger, youth violence, teen pregnancy) and find out what your community is doing to help address the problem. You will need to contact individuals in your community to research this issue gathering at least 3 sources of information on this. It is important to remember here that addressing a problem includes direct service, advocacy, lobbying and so on and that social problems are complex and involve a great many efforts. Your paper should begin with a national perspective on the issue, explain why the topic is of interest to you and then focus on community based efforts.
3 – 4 typewritten pages 15 points Due date: October 14

Field notes:Field notes are the basis of qualitative research. In some instances, these can be taken right on the scene where the observer is unobtrusive and notpart of the action. In other instances, the observer must make mental notes andthen get these on paper, as soon as possible. There are a number of guides fortaking field notes and we will use a combination of approaches. Later in thesemester I will distribute some field notes from my research in a women's prison.
20 points Due dates: October 21 and December 2

Finding a placement: During the first class, we will be discussing possible placements for service. We will brainstorm as many as we can. Three factors should go into your selection of a service site. 11 Practical- can you get there and back? do their needs mesh with your availability? 2] Personal – do you have a particular interest in this issue? the population? 3] Course related concerns -is the placement one that conforms to the aims of the course? Check these with the instructor. Last summer, you completed a survey to identify your interests and talents so that we can make a good match between community needs and what you have to offer. There are many organizations that can help you find a volunteer/ service activity. You are expected to do community an average of 10 hours per week over the course of the semester. I will be checking in with agency staff to follow your progress in these assignments. There are many organizations that can help you locate service/ volunteer placements. One of the major one is Volunteers in Action (VIA). Contact them at 421-6547. Also refer to the class handout on local opportunities for service. Speakers will be addressing the class over the course of the semester and this will provide some ideas as well.

Class presentations:Students will be responsible for presenting the assignedreadings in class. These, along with original research, performed by students,will provide the basis for the final report. The schedule for class presentationswill be determined in week two of class. 10 points

Final paper:
Details for the final paper will be distributed in week three of class. This 10-12page paper will provide a synthesis of what you have learned over the course ofthe semester. What follows are questions and quotations that will serve as aframework for your thinking and reflection in the final paper and for the fieldnotes, as well.
30 points Due date: December 9

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Quotations for reflection:
"Time and again I have been persuaded that a huge potential of good will is slumbering within our society. It's just that it's incoherent, suppressed, confused, crippled and perplexed — as though it does not know what to rely on, where to begin, where or how to find a meaningful outlet." Vaclav Havel

Some of the following will become the basis of questions that should be addressed in field notes. We will also address some of these in class.

What are some of the responsibilities of citizens? When you think of citizenship what comes to mind? Where do social problems come from? What are the reasons for poverty, homelessness, violence, etc.? When you consider these problems, do you usually examine the individuals involved and try to figure out how specific behaviors and attitudes have contributed to the problem or do you usually examine larger factors? What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Why is poverty defined as a social problem? Playing a thought experiment, imagine what our society would be like if excess wealth was a social problem. What values would underlie the definition of 'too much money' as a social problem? What sorts of programs might be in place to solve this problem?

Who is responsible for solving social problems? Should families be the primary providers of care? If families fail, should extended families be the next layer of care? When should we rely on formal organizations? When should the state step in?

Think of one social problem and pose one question you would like to know more about in order to begin solving it. This does not have to be a problem that is widely recognized or that affects a majority of the population. First, describe the problem; then suggest some questions; finally, suggest some ways to learn more about this in an effort to do something about it. Journal essays 1. What are the possible connections between service and learning? Or experience and learning? As sociologists, how do we connect what we learn from texts and professors to what we see in the 'real world'? What is closer to the truth?

2. Identify two sociological lessons you have learned and review what is was that you found so true or compelling? What did these theories or concepts tell you or explain?

3. Have you ever volunteered in the past? Do you remember how that experience was?

4. If you are thinking about volunteering or doing service in this course, what do you think you would anticipate your experience being if you were to go to a different setting from one you are accustomed to? For example, if you had the opportunity to work as a tutor in a school different from that you attended, let's say a school for the physically handicapped or a school with students who are primarily another race or ethnic group, how would you prepare yourself for these experiences?

5. After your first visit to the field site, what questions have come up? We will be discussing these visits in class. What is the most significant thing you noticed about the site? Did it meet your expectations? What questions are in the back of your mind? What do you want to observe closely the next time?

6. How does your organization work with others in the community? Does it have a particular niche? How does it get clients? How do clients get better? What is provided to them? What does the agency need to support itself?

7. The helping relationship is generally thought of as positive. What are some of the negative aspects? Some argue for a dismantling of social programs because they disable people and communities. Present this position. Others argue that professionals are able to diagnose and treat problems. Argue this position as well. Choose one social problem and discuss how each position might treat the issue, identify clients, suggest blame and propose fixing the problem.

8. Write an essay that incorporates different perspectives on a social situation. For example, in an intake situation, write from the different perspectives of the client giving information, the person taking the information and the entity requesting such data. What are some of the rules governing interaction here? What could be better? What is at stake?