"I Am Also in the Position to Use My Whiteness to Help Them Out": The Communication of Whiteness in Service Learning

In this essay, we examine the relationship between Whiteness theory and service learning, specifically through an examination of an intercultural communication course we taught. In our analysis of student-written assignments, we reveal how service learning provides a context for students to rehearse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWestern journal of communication Vol. 73; no. 4; pp. 418 - 436
Main Authors Endres, Danielle, Gould, Mary
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Salt Lake City Taylor & Francis Group 01.10.2009
Routledge
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Communication
Communication Pedagogy
Context
Critical Theory
Culture
Essays
Ethnic Stereotypes
Intercultural Communication
Pedagogy
Racial Attitudes
Racial Discrimination
Racial Relations
Rhetorical Criticism
Service Learning
White people
Whiteness
Whites
Writing Assignments
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Summary:In this essay, we examine the relationship between Whiteness theory and service learning, specifically through an examination of an intercultural communication course we taught. In our analysis of student-written assignments, we reveal how service learning provides a context for students to rehearse and affirm White privilege, despite the fact that they have been exposed to critical theories of Whiteness before engaging in service learning projects. Specifically, we identify and examine two rhetorical strategies that perpetuate White privilege in the context of service learning: (1) the conflation of being White with Whiteness, and (2) using White privilege for charity. Our analysis contributes a significant critique of the use of service learning in communication courses.
ISSN:1057-0314
1745-1027
DOI:10.1080/10570310903279083