Our Vision
At every college, every semester, there is a course where students learn social action by doing it.
Teaching Social Action
Social action occurs when everyday people band together to develop their power in order to change policy. Students in a social action course choose a campaign to work on and as part of a team, attempt to enact a policy change on campus or in the community by making demands of a decision-maker. Teaching Social Action is rooted in democracy, where people have the right to petition the government—as well as people in decision-making roles in general—for a redress of grievances. We are building a movement to spread this curriculum and pedagogy with a public purpose by training faculty and staff (who can teach), and building a community of practice across the USA and around the world.
The Need
Many college courses teach about democracy and change, but few courses provide students the opportunity to learn by doing them. Teaching Social Action meets the need by providing faculty the necessary training to deliver a high-impact practice of engaged learning where students actively practice democracy and do change. Importantly, students learn how to “get stuff done” as a team, which also helps them get jobs after they graduate.
I have discovered that although students care deeply about environmental and social issues, they have been brought up in a society that emphasizes personal action (e.g., recycling, purchasing) rather than how to come together to change exploitative or harmful systems. They are confused and feel powerless to make a difference. I see that they need training, mentoring, and experience in social action to be able to make the changes that they want to see in the world. I have tried to teach social action, but to be honest I think I have been teaching ABOUT social action. We have talked about issues and talked about what they COULD do about them. I've even assigned them to write letters to editors, submit public comments, taken them to legislative hearings and to climate marches, BUT I haven't taught them how to identify an issue and plan and implement a goal of change. This is what I want to do next.
Dr. Bethany Woodworth, Marine & Environmental Programs, University of New England
The Model Course
In 2006, Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton created a Sociology social action course at San José State University (SJSU). Since then, he has continually refined this transformative curriculum and pedagogy where students and faculty are co-creators of knowledge. While providing professors maximum flexibility in implementation, this experiential model goes beyond discussing change, or completing an internship with an organization working on policy change. Instead, this model has students work as a team where they: (1) conduct issue development, (2) build power, (3) develop tactics, and (4) launch and implement campaigns, all while connecting concepts to action. Using this model, SJSU students have won 17 campaigns.
Read more about our model social action course here.
Since 2017, faculty across diverse disciplines have adopted this model, incorporating the four social action components into their courses while adding their own passion, creativity, and knowledge. This past Spring semester, 32 social action classes were taught in the USA, Canada, England, Spain, and Pakistan. Teaching social action is poised to become a recognized method of instruction across the disciplines.
Explore the social action courses that faculty have developed as a result of the training.
The Student Campaigns
Students choose their own campaign or join a community campaign, which might have a conservative, liberal, or nonpartisan perspective. Importantly, if the students decide to do a campaign in the community, they do not go in and "organize” it. Rather, students connect with a community organization who is working on a policy change, and create a student-wing of the campaign. In addition, the campaigns must be non-violent in word and deed and be aligned with the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
As part of a team, students conduct campaign activities such as creating and posting flyers, managing social media, hosting information tables, and giving presentations to student groups. Students also plan and lead at least one campaign action—a public display of power that puts pressure on decision-makers through marches, rallies, press conferences, lobbying days, street theater, or direct meetings. This past Spring semester, 60+ student campaigns took place.
View student campaigns here.
Our Events
We host in-person and virtual Institutes on Teaching Social Action on how to teach social action. The Institute is for faculty who want to implement this experiential social action model in a course in the next 18 months. In the past several years, we have had 500 faculty apply to our Institutes, with 300 accepted from 190 college campuses.
I have personally gone through the Institute and found it incredibly helpful in developing a social action course. Teaching social action has been one of the highlights of my career, as it provides students with concrete tools with which to organize social action campaigns. I highly recommend it!
Dr. Arun Agrawal, Director of Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative, Notre Dame University
“The Institute was one of the most effective uses of my time in my 30+ years in higher education. The Institute provided a structure and the tools to implement social action in an organized and meaningful way as a part of the educational experience. I left the Institute invigorated, armed with new knowledge and tools. I wondered where the Social Action Institute had been all of my higher ed life.”
Dr. Cassandra Simon, Social Work, University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
In addition, we organize two Zoom meet-ups during the semester for faculty and staff who are teaching social action and for people considering it. At the end of each semester, we host an on-line Summit on College Social Action where students and faculty share the lessons learned.
More on our events here.
Our Guides
We have developed two books—one for faculty and another for students—and a Companion Guide. They are all based on the model developed by Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton for his Sociology 164: Social Action at San José State University. Many faculty teaching social action decide to use Myers-Lipton’s CHANGE! A Student Guide to Social Action in their course, but it is not required.
Testimonials:
I bought this book to prepare for my social action class. I enjoyed the way the book is structured starting with defining the issue and providing a step-by-step guide on how to implement a curriculum that engages students in campaigns. The book is easy to read and straight to the point. It also draws on relevant historical events and theories. To have a true democratic society, students must be equipped with the skills to change policies in an informed and responsible manner. This book allows educators to support these students in developing those skills.
Dr. Stephanie Aboueid-Hannah, Sociological and Anthropological Studies, University of Ottawa
CHANGE! comes at a moment in U.S. history that demands the creation of ever more powerful social and economic justice change agents, a job that higher education has done poorly. It’s part roadmap, part compass, part toolkit. But above all, it’s a practical guide for faculty who want to foster a new generation of able and smart activists.
Dr. Kent Glenzer, International Studies & Management, Middlebury Institute at Monterey
View here for CHANGE books, Companion Guide & other teaching resources.
The Impact
Teaching Social Action strengthens democracy. The impact of social action is felt by students, campuses, and communities, as student campaigns breathe new life into our democracy. This student-led transformative model develops critical thinking and democratic skills, and prepares students to be community leaders in the non-profit, government, and business sectors. Importantly, student campaigns are effective as students learn how to do change and democracy in the course. Additionally, campuses are animated by the students energy and idealism, with communities benefiting when students join with local leaders to make a change.
When I came into this classroom, I remember our professor said ‘this is going to be a life-changing class. You might not believe that change is possible, but it is.’ I wanted too believe it, but there was still some type of doubt in me. Little did I know that within the semester we were talking to the media and to different people. Now I would say that change is possible, if you have the motivation, the drive, the passion, or even the anger. That spark in you that comes when you say that this is an injustice and this is not right.
Mayra Bernabe, Student Homeless Alliance, San José State University
View more on the impact of teaching social action here.
Our Community
Join hundreds of educators who are teaching the next generation of democratic participants by providing their students with a hands-on experience in creating policy change.
In Fall 2023, after just two days with Scott and other scholars from all over the country learning how to teach and do social action with our students, I have felt connected, supported, and empowered to do extraordinary things in and beyond the classroom. I love it that we are learning together, part of a national network, growing by the day. This is true transformation.
Dr. Maria Perez, Geology & Geography, West Virginia University
Join our community here.