Content area
Full Text
Elements of democratic political theory are presented to advance an interpretation of principled student activism on campuses as citizen-engagement and an opportunity for hands-on citizenship education. A brief scenario of campus dissent is described as an illustration of democratic aims, processes, and underlying principles. Finally, implications for student affairs practice are offered.
College and university campuses increasingly reflect the racial, cultural, and socioeconomic heterogeneity of American society. For example, the proportion of college students from minority backgrounds grew from 18.9% to 23.4% between 1991 and 1995, and the proportion of women college students increased from 54.3% to 55.1% ("The Nation," 1991, 1995). At many campuses, increased diversity has coincided with bold and vocal student challenges to institutional policies and decisions identified as indifferent or hostile to underrepresented students. Underrepresented students and coalitions formed by these students are certainly not the first or only student groups to challenge administrative decisions, but such challenges publicly call into question the genuineness of higher education's espoused welcome for those with diverse voices and perspectives (Hill, 1991). As dissenting students identify and frame issues for public deliberation and compel attention to their concerns, they assume vital citizenship roles through their engagement in principled dissent.
Conditions that surround students' efforts to effect change on campuses may provide educational and empowering citizenship experiences or may serve to frustrate and further marginalize student citizens. The purpose of this discussion is to add to the theory base in student affairs by presenting selected features of democratic political theory and examine its usefulness in helping student affairs professionals develop and sustain a campus environment that facilitates student exercise of democratic citizenship.
EDUCATING FOR CITIZENSHIP
Preparing students for mature participation in the civic life of a democracy is consistently cited as a primary purpose of higher education. In a recently commissioned American Council on Education study, over 90% of Americans surveyed believed that a central task of colleges and universities is to develop contributing citizens (Harvey & Immerwahr, 1995). Additionally, three major statements that specify assumptions, values, and purposes of student affairs work over 50 years ("National Association," 1989) display a marked consistency on this issue as illustrated by the passages below:
This conference also wishes to emphasize the necessity for conceiving of aftercollege adjustment...