Student Development and Social Justice

"Hicks Peterson succeeds in exploring the realities and the theoretical underpinnings of the linkages among action research, community engagement, both individual and community well-being, how those connections can be assessed, and whether or not they suggest prescriptive patterns of policies and choices that align with core democratic values of social justice. She builds upon the work of Paulo Freire and John Dewey-connecting those theoretical foundations to community-based actions and strategies-making a significant new contribution." (Donald W. Harward, President Emeritus, Bates College, USA) "The author articulates an insightful model of socially justice community engagement while offering practical tools to offer teachers, students, staff members, and community members tangible ways to engage in work that seeks to fundamentally transform injustice." (Beth Berila, Director of the Women's Studies Program and Professor, Ethnic and Women's Studies Department, St. Cloud State University, USA) "This book is a timely response to a climate today that is promoting scapegoating, division, hate, fear, and hopelessness. In proposing a frontier community engagement strategy focusing on the root causes of injustice, this book proposes transformational models that ensure one's well-being and intersectionality in the advancement of engaged learning, teaching, research, and organizing." (Jose Zapata Calderon, Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies, Pitzer College, USA) "This book offers an insightful analysis about the power of healing, hope, and well-being for practitioners.Those who read this will have taken a quantum leap in their thinking about how to support their students with creating real impact in the world." (Shawn Ginwright, Associate Professor of Education & Africana Studies, College of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University, USA)

This book weaves together critical components of student development and community building for social justice to prepare students to engage effectively in community-campus partnerships for social change.This book weaves together critical components of student development and community building for social justice to prepare students to engage effectively in community-campus partnerships for social change. The author combines diverse theoretical models such as critical pedagogy, asset-based community development, and healing justice with lessons from programs promoting indigenous knowledge, decolonization, and mindfulness. Most importantly, this book links theory to practice, offering service-learning classroom activities, course and community partnership criteria, learning outcomes, and assessment rubrics. It speaks to students, faculty, administrators, and community members who are interested in utilizing community engagement as a vehicle for the development of students and communities towards wellbeing and social justice.