to make a difference seems increasingly difficult.
At the 2004 Mid-West Conference, I
observed a panel on teaching in international relations in which the panelists and audience
members identified this as a common concern. As they sought to personalize international issues
through primary documents, personal reflections, simulations, etc. the presenters found that the
materials often depressed students and created a negative outlook on global issues and the future.
This paper offers one possible avenue for teaching students how individuals can and do
act collectively to change the world and further for motivating students to believe that they too
can make a difference. My approach is to combine case studies of transnational advocacy with
complimentary experiential education opportunities. The case studies allow for exploration of
key international relations concepts ranging from key actors in the global arena to broader
discussions of power and constructivism. The service learning opportunities offer students a
chance to observe and participate in organizations and projects that provide hands-on
understanding of international relations concepts and demonstrate activism strategies which can
be applied locally, nationally or globally.
This paper discusses teaching strategies utilized in an international relations class on
transnational advocacy taught first at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta and subsequently at
Bridgewater College in western Virginia. I begin with a brief assessment of current literature on
service learning. Next, I discuss the value of transnational advocacy networks (TANs) as
educational cases for international relations students. This is followed by a brief discussion of
three experiential opportunities emphasizing service learning that I use to teach both
international relations concepts and activism strategies. Finally, I conclude with further research
directions and an appendix of sample course and resource materials.
3
American students consistently report low interest in political affairs and international politics and they tend to do
comparatively poorly on cross-national studies of knowledge of global events. Patterson, Amy. Dec. 2000. “It’s a
Small World: Incorporating Service Learning into International Relations Courses.” PSOnline.
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Convention