An Interdisciplinary An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Values: The Exploration of Values: The

Foundation for Civic Foundation for Civic EngagementEngagement

Randall E. Osborne, Ph.D. & Randall E. Osborne, Ph.D. &

Paul Kriese, Ph.D.Paul Kriese, Ph.D.

Presented at Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities Conference, Honolulu, HI, January 11-14, 2008

Positive Youth DevelopmentPositive Youth Development

Thomsen (2004) suggests that Thomsen (2004) suggests that Positive Youth Development (PYD) is Positive Youth Development (PYD) is inherent in good educational practice inherent in good educational practice & prepares students for life beyond & prepares students for life beyond the classroom.the classroom.

As such, PYD can be built into As such, PYD can be built into existing educational practices and existing educational practices and provides core skills that promote provides core skills that promote both academic excellence and both academic excellence and personal/social developmentpersonal/social development

Positive Youth DevelopmentPositive Youth Development

PYD has 5 basic tenets (Thomsen, 2004)PYD has 5 basic tenets (Thomsen, 2004) ConnectionConnection ConfidenceConfidence CompetenceCompetence CompassionCompassion CharacterCharacter

Brain-based emotional intelligenceBrain-based emotional intelligence Research (e.g., Thomsen, 2002) shows that Research (e.g., Thomsen, 2002) shows that

teaching students to cope effectively with their teaching students to cope effectively with their emotions frees up working memory and emotions frees up working memory and enhances learning.enhances learning.

Positive Youth DevelopmentPositive Youth Development

Connection – connecting self to communityConnection – connecting self to community Confidence – must have confidence that Confidence – must have confidence that

“real” problems can be addressed and “real” problems can be addressed and resolvedresolved

Competence – must believe that he/she has Competence – must believe that he/she has the ability to be an effective part of the the ability to be an effective part of the solutionsolution

Compassion – must learn to care about Compassion – must learn to care about othersothers

Character – character traits must be Character – character traits must be modeled, practiced and reinforcedmodeled, practiced and reinforced

Civic Engagement - DefinedCivic Engagement - Defined Adding one’s voice to community conversations. Advocacy Adding one’s voice to community conversations. Advocacy

on behalf of others. Participation in public life. Encouraging on behalf of others. Participation in public life. Encouraging other people to participate in public life. Joining in common other people to participate in public life. Joining in common work that promotes the well being of everyone.work that promotes the well being of everyone.

Although we fervently agree with the above definition of Although we fervently agree with the above definition of civic engagement, we are concerned about requiring civic engagement, we are concerned about requiring students to become actively involved in their broader students to become actively involved in their broader community BEFORE they have explored their own biases community BEFORE they have explored their own biases and values that are likely to affect the interactions they and values that are likely to affect the interactions they have with others in that community.  To address this have with others in that community.  To address this concern, we developed an Internet course on the Politics concern, we developed an Internet course on the Politics and Psychology of Hatred specifically designed to assist and Psychology of Hatred specifically designed to assist students in uncovering, exploring, analyzing and learning students in uncovering, exploring, analyzing and learning from their personal biases and values.  We developed a 4-from their personal biases and values.  We developed a 4-step model (which we call the "humanities model") to step model (which we call the "humanities model") to facilitate this uncovering process.  facilitate this uncovering process.  

Preparing for Civic EngagementPreparing for Civic Engagement It is our belief that discussing social issues (such as It is our belief that discussing social issues (such as

prejudice or racism) without requiring students to explore prejudice or racism) without requiring students to explore the roots of their views, to understand the roots of other the roots of their views, to understand the roots of other views, and to appreciate the nature and importance of views, and to appreciate the nature and importance of different views about those issues, perpetuates ignorance. different views about those issues, perpetuates ignorance.

   To raise the issue without using the humanities model (or To raise the issue without using the humanities model (or

to send students out into the community without having to send students out into the community without having explored their biases and values) may simply reinforce explored their biases and values) may simply reinforce prejudices by giving them voice without question. prejudices by giving them voice without question.

   Lastly, we believe that all that we do in these courses Lastly, we believe that all that we do in these courses

should center on the theme of “civic engagement.” should center on the theme of “civic engagement.” Although that is sometimes defined as sending students Although that is sometimes defined as sending students out into the community via service-learning, we believe out into the community via service-learning, we believe that the themes in the course of: (1) social justice, (2) that the themes in the course of: (1) social justice, (2) having a voice through vote, (3) condoning hatred through having a voice through vote, (3) condoning hatred through silence, (4) exploring image and stereotypical views of silence, (4) exploring image and stereotypical views of others, (5) environmental hatred, and (6) self-referent others, (5) environmental hatred, and (6) self-referent thinking (among others) assist students in exploring their thinking (among others) assist students in exploring their role in the broader community.role in the broader community.

Examples of Assignments That Examples of Assignments That Facilitate Aspects of PYDFacilitate Aspects of PYD

Connection – Middle Class MentalityConnection – Middle Class Mentality Confidence – Phenomenal Woman Confidence – Phenomenal Woman Competence – Immigration ReformCompetence – Immigration Reform Compassion – Nuclear ShelterCompassion – Nuclear Shelter Character – Diversity PhilosophyCharacter – Diversity Philosophy

ConnectionConnection Reach consensus on how to define Reach consensus on how to define

""Middle Class MentalityMiddle Class Mentality.“.“ post that group definition to the discussion post that group definition to the discussion

list. In your response, be sure and include list. In your response, be sure and include answers to the following questions:answers to the following questions: can anyone "become" middle class? Why or can anyone "become" middle class? Why or

why not?why not? what all different aspects of society does the what all different aspects of society does the

middle class mentality permeate?middle class mentality permeate? how is the concept of middle class mentality how is the concept of middle class mentality

linked to legal issues such as:linked to legal issues such as: immigration laws, immigration laws, welfare policies, and welfare policies, and access to resources for higher education?access to resources for higher education?

ConfidenceConfidence Read Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Read Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal

Woman”Woman” What is she trying to say? What is she trying to say?  What are you using to reach this What are you using to reach this

conclusion?conclusion?   How do her comments/points relate to How do her comments/points relate to

the content and focus of this course?the content and focus of this course? How does that make you feel & why?How does that make you feel & why?

CompetenceCompetence

Immigration Reform AssignmentImmigration Reform Assignment Locate a website that deals with the Locate a website that deals with the

concept of concept of immigrationimmigration (U.S. immigration) (U.S. immigration) provide the URL for this website within the provide the URL for this website within the

assignmentassignment describe the opinion of this site. describe the opinion of this site. What are the pro's and con's to this site's What are the pro's and con's to this site's

perspective on immigration?perspective on immigration? in your opinion, what are the main points this in your opinion, what are the main points this

group is trying to make?group is trying to make? What are the linkages between the main points What are the linkages between the main points

of this site and immigration reform?of this site and immigration reform?

CompassionCompassion Nuclear Shelter Group Assignment –Nuclear Shelter Group Assignment – Part A:Part A: Students are told that nuclear warheads Students are told that nuclear warheads

have been launched toward the United have been launched toward the United States and that they are responsible for a States and that they are responsible for a particular nuclear shelter that will hold eight particular nuclear shelter that will hold eight people.people.

Students are given a list of twelve people, Students are given a list of twelve people,

asked to decide who will get into the asked to decide who will get into the shelter, required to state why they have shelter, required to state why they have chosen each individual that will get in, and chosen each individual that will get in, and must explain why each person they are must explain why each person they are leaving out is being left out. leaving out is being left out.

Character - Diversity Philosophy Character - Diversity Philosophy

What foundational premise best What foundational premise best guides your thoughts about race?guides your thoughts about race?

A.A. Race is a social construct.Race is a social construct. B.B. It is not the color of their skin, but the content It is not the color of their skin, but the content

of their character that matters.of their character that matters. C.C. Race is biologically based and needs to be used Race is biologically based and needs to be used

in race definitions.in race definitions. D.D. Respect for each race is important in building a Respect for each race is important in building a

diverse society.diverse society. A= InclusivenessA= Inclusiveness B= ToleranceB= Tolerance C= AssimilationC= Assimilation D= MulticulturalD= Multicultural

Diversity Philosophy – Sample Diversity Philosophy – Sample QuestionsQuestions

What foundational premise best guides What foundational premise best guides your thoughts about religion?your thoughts about religion?

A.A. We are a nation built on Christian values. These are our We are a nation built on Christian values. These are our

guiding principlesguiding principles B.B. We should not condemn those who are not Christians.We should not condemn those who are not Christians. C.C. We should actively utilize the values and insights from We should actively utilize the values and insights from

the the many different religions to enhance clarity and many different religions to enhance clarity and understanding.understanding.

D.D. We should acknowledge and respect many religions.We should acknowledge and respect many religions. A= AssimilationA= Assimilation B= ToleranceB= Tolerance C= InclusivenessC= Inclusiveness D= MulticulturalD= Multicultural

AssimilationAssimilation

The practice of categorizing a group based The practice of categorizing a group based on artificial social constructions that impart on artificial social constructions that impart an “essence” of that group, which an “essence” of that group, which homogenizes the group and effaces homogenizes the group and effaces individuality and differences. The word individuality and differences. The word implies that we are forming conclusions, implies that we are forming conclusions, relationships, and other cultural ties based relationships, and other cultural ties based only on the essential elements, as only on the essential elements, as determined by “us”. It also implies that determined by “us”. It also implies that there is some minimal level of there is some minimal level of understanding that applies to groups.understanding that applies to groups.

Diversity PhilosophyDiversity Philosophy

ToleranceTolerance = acceptance and open- = acceptance and open-mindedness of different practices, mindedness of different practices, attitudes, and cultures; does not attitudes, and cultures; does not necessarily mean agreement with the necessarily mean agreement with the differences. Implies an differences. Implies an acknowledgement, or an acceptance or acknowledgement, or an acceptance or respect. Not necessarily an appreciation respect. Not necessarily an appreciation and usually consists of only surface level and usually consists of only surface level information.information.

Diversity PhilosophyDiversity Philosophy

MulticulturalismMulticulturalism = the practice of = the practice of acknowledging and respecting the acknowledging and respecting the various cultures, religions, races, various cultures, religions, races, ethnicities, attitudes and opinions within ethnicities, attitudes and opinions within an environment. The word does not an environment. The word does not imply that there is any intentionality imply that there is any intentionality occurring and primarily works from a occurring and primarily works from a group, versus individual, orientation.group, versus individual, orientation.

Diversity PhilosophyDiversity Philosophy

InclusivenessInclusiveness = the practice of = the practice of emphasizing our uniqueness in emphasizing our uniqueness in promoting the reality that each promoting the reality that each voice, when, valued, respected and voice, when, valued, respected and expected to, will provide positive expected to, will provide positive contribution to the community.contribution to the community.

What Did We Learn?What Did We Learn?

Tolerance is not enough!Tolerance is not enough! Example from studentExample from student

““I always prided myself on being I always prided myself on being tolerant. This exercise has made me tolerant. This exercise has made me ashamed of myself. I realized that ashamed of myself. I realized that tolerance is not enough. Tolerating tolerance is not enough. Tolerating someone does NOT counter hate.”someone does NOT counter hate.”