Citizenship Education and Community Engagemaent course mainly focus is inclusive development through active citizenship locally and globally. The main aim of this course is to educate the importance of active citizenship and community involvement for promoting a productive and harmonious society.

Course Objectives:

The overall objectives of this course are to:

• Teach students the importance and role of active citizenship in promoting a productive, harmonious and developed society/world
• Educate students about the importance of concepts, skills and philosophy of community linkages in developing a sustainable society
• Inculcate the impotence of community involvement for ensuring an improved, tolerant and generative society/world
• Provide an opportunity to the students to develop their relationship with the community

Learning outcomes:

The primary outcome is inclusive development through active citizenship locally and globally. Moreover, the following are the detailed outcomes of the course based on the three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy i.e. affective, Psychomotor and Cognitive. The students will be able to:    

• Understand the overall organization of the society
• Recognize and exercise their right, responsibilities and the significance of active citizenship in positive societal development.
• Identify and critically evaluate social issues and implement practicable community based solutions
• Understand the concept of human rights and its significance
• Appreciate diverse viewpoints and inter-cultural harmony

Course outline:

Introduction to Citizenship Education and Community Engagement

• Orientation (Course outline, learning outcomes etc.)
• Introduction to active Citizenship: Overview of the Ideas, Concepts, Philosophy and Skills
• Approaches and methodology for active citizenship 

Identity, culture, and social Harmony

• Concept and development of Identity
• Components of Culture and Social Harmony
• Cultural & Religious Diversity (Understanding and affirmation of similarities & differences)
• Social structure and social hierarchy (Stake holders: decision makers: implements and others)

Multi-cultural society and inter-cultural dialogues

• Inter-cultural dialogue (bridging the difference, promoting harmony)
• Significance of diversity and its impact
• Importance and domains of inter-cultural dialogue
• Role of civil society in promoting inter-cultural harmony

Active citizen: locally Active, Globally connected

• Importance of active citizenship at national and global level
• Understanding community
• Identification of resources (human, natural an others)
• Utilization of resources for development (community participation)
• Strategic planning for development (community linkages and mobilization)

Human Rights, Constitutionalism and Citizens’ Responsibilities

• Introduction to human rights
• Universalism vs relativism
• Human rights in constitution of Pakistan
• Public duties and responsibilities
• Constitutionalism and democratic process
• Current Human Rights issues in Pakistan

Social Issues in Pakistan

• Introduction to the concept of social problem
• Causes and solutions: critical thinking an evaluation
• Social issues in Pakistan (poverty, equal and equitable access of resources, unemployment, agricultural problems, terrorism & militancy, governance issues, corruption, ethnic & sectarian issues, illiteracy, dowry, child labor, gender discrimination, substance abuse and other)

Social Action Project

• Introduction and planning of social project
• Identification of problem (area mapping)
• Ethical considerations related to project
• Assessment of existing resources (material and non-material)
• Community-based project planning and action groups building
• Implementation (role division among action groups)
• Monitoring & evaluation (impact assessment/value enhancement)

Assessment (Formative/Summative)

In order to pass the course and gain a certificate students should therefore:

Mid Term (40%)

• Individually complete a self-assessment exercise after the group work, showing the reflective and personal development aspects of the programme and their appreciation of the course learning;
• Participate in the design and planning of a social action project and provide evidence of this in the form of a group presentation, to a panel of peers, tutors and a community representative for feedback before implementing the project in the community.

Final Term (60%)

• Compile a group report on the project process to a standard format at the end of the project commenting on: project outcomes, individual contributions and group learning.

Text and reference books:

Core Readings:

• Anne Karin Larsen, Participation community work: International perspectives (Vishanthie Sewpaul, Grete Oline Hole, 2013)
• British Council, Active Citizen’s Social Action Projects Guide (Scotland: British Council, 2017)
• Ian-Brownlie, Guy S Goodwing-Gill: Brownlie’s Documents on Human rights (London Oxford University Press, 2010)
• Kerry Kennedy, Citizenship Education and The Modern State (Londn: Routledge Falmmer, 1997)
• The Constitution of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan: The National Assembly of Pakistan, 2012), also available online at the official website of National Assembly of Pakistan: http://na.gov.pk/uploads/documetns/1333523681_951.pdf (accessed on April 25, 2017)   

Recommended readings:

John J. Macionis, Linda Marie Gerber, Sociology (New York: Pearson Education, 2010)

Kerry J. Kennedy, Andreas Brunold (ed.), Regional Contexts and Citizenship Education in Asia and Europe (New York: Routledge Falmer, 2016)

Paul Clarke, Jenny Wales, Learning Citizenship: Practical Teaching and Strategies for Secondary Schools (New York: Routledge Falmer, 2005)

Scheduled on: 

BS 2(R):      Tuesday (11:00-12:00)    Wednesday (10:00-11:00)      Thrusday   (8:00-9:00)

BS 2(SS):    Tuesday (12:30-1:30)   Wednesday (2:00-03:00)      Thrusday    (4:00-5:00)