INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
DEFINING CIVIC ENGAGMENT
A Rank Ordering of Civic Engagement Actions
People define civic engagement in many different ways. Represented below are some examples of actions that people would call “civic engagement.” Place a “1" next to the action that most closely models your own idea of civic engagement. Place a “2" next to the action that is the second closest, etc., up to 15. Following the ranking, we will meet in small groups to discuss the three highest ranked items and the three lowest ranked items to better understand how we define “civic engagement”.
______ Joining the armed forces.
______ Helping to start an after-school program for children whose parents work.
______ Talking with a friend about a social issue of importance to you.
______ Working for a candidate in a local election.
______ Serving on a jury.
______ Picketing and protesting at a local plant that has laid off a large number of its workforce.
______ Giving to the United Way.
______ Leaving your car at home and biking or walking to work/school every day.
______ Tutoring a migrant worker.
______ Starting a socially responsible investing option for alumni at your university.
______ Providing dinner once a week at a homeless shelter.
______ Visiting different houses of worship (churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) every week to learn about different religions in the community.
______ Giving blood.
______ Attending a neighborhood meeting.
______ Voting.
(Adapted from Nadinne Cruz, “How Do You Define Service?” [February, 1996] and Richard Battistoni’s, “How Do You Define Citizenship?” in Civic Engagement Across the Curriculum, Campus Compact 2002)
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