Community-Based Global Learning: The Theory and Practice of Ethical Engagement at Home and Abroad

Study abroad participation among U.S. students has more than tripled during the past two decades. Simultaneously, institutions of higher education have increased their rhetorical attention to the development of global citizenship, and in many cases, have also begun offering global service-learning programming. While there is a recent, growing literature on theoretical models, research and critiques, there is no single book that combines rigorous attention to global service-learning theory with practical resources for implementation. This book fills that gap.

Building a Better World presents a comprehensive understanding of global service-learning by looking at various fields including: community development, student development theory, service-learning, study abroad, intercultural education, and conceptualizations of global partnerships. The book takes an explicitly pragmatic stance, clearly demonstrating applications, frameworks, models, and resources for practice informed by theory.

Featuring brief, summative essays that distill many of the challenges involved with global service-learning, Building a Better World asks thought-provoking questions to students in order to move forward in the field.