Political Engagement: Beyond Politics
1. Your Thoughts on Political Engagement
2. Defining Political Engagement
3. Why Integrate Political Engagement?
4. Concerns/Potential Barriers
5. Putting Political Engagement into Practice
Large Scale/Lecture Activities
Definition of Power
The French sociologist Michel Foucault argued that power operates at all
levels of social interaction, in all social institutions, by all people.
Knowledge and power are closely tied together. Claims to knowledge are
also claims to power. As faculty work to impart more knowledge to our
students, they are also working to impart more power.
Power, according to Foucault, is something found in all social relations, rather than just something exercised by dominant groups. This definition broadens the conception of the political and increases its application and relevance for students. As students begin to understand how power functions and influences all aspects of their lives, they will be better equipped to exercise their own power in the political and social world in which they live.
Faculty should work to change perceptions of powerlessness by inviting students to the table in an active manner. Activities and techniques can be developed to help empower students and facilitate ownership over their civic and political life. [see the Putting Political Engagement into Practice section of this Module for ideas]
Techniques used to empower students can be adapted to the analogous political challenges faced by all faculty attempting to teach politically disengaged students:
Key questions to engage all students hoping to be successful in life and their career (source: Dr. Bob Bradley, Professor, Politics and Government, Illinois State University):
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