Get Engaged: Student as a Citizen

About

This is an intensive, 10-day course where student leaders from around the globe will strengthen their skills, knowledge, and understanding of civil society; expand their understanding of global threats to civil society outside of their own communities and share experiences and learn from their international colleagues.  Students must demonstrate engagement in community work through student-led initiatives, community-based work, or other leadership experience.

The course provides a platform connecting student leaders from around the globe with the goal of building their capacity to work on solutions for social issues, most prominently by contextualizing their own leadership experiences within a transnational framework. Exploring historical, philosophical, and practical elements of civic engagement, students will consider the underlying question of what it means to be an engaged citizen in the early 21st century.  Focusing on issues related to political participation, civil society, associational life, social justice, and personal responsibility, the class balances the study of theoretical notions of civic life while empowering students to be active participants in the communities in which they are situated.

Financial aid is available.

Course leader

Jonathan Becker (Center for Civic Engagement/Political Studies, Bard College, New York, USA) & Chrysovalantis Margaritidis (Civic Engagement/Philosophy, Bard College, New York, USA)

Target group

Students who are already actively engaged in their communities or who are already working on student-led initiatives and have demonstrated leadership experience. There are no academic prerequisites but students need to complete a short application indicating their leadership experience including their participation in relevant courses, workshops, programs or projects.

This course is most appropriate for undergraduate students but can include graduate students. We provides a unique opportunity for students to work within a diverse context which combines the local and global. Many students do not have as wide an understanding of challenges in communities outside of their own and even that is not grounded in any theoretical framework. As indicated, internationalizing the experience helps students better understand their own local context, which was enhanced through the exploration of the social and political ecosystem around CEU.

Fee info