What do people need to pay attention to in order to effect change in organizations or communities? How does motivation matter? How can the intersection of universities and communities be a place where people learn to be change agents?
The logic and magic in relationships
If you want to be an agent of change in a specific organization or community or in the broader world, I think you need to understand how power operates in relationships. Most people are aware that power dynamics matter in their working relationships....
Motives for change: good intentions
The University of British Columbia (UBC) students who wanted to get involved in the community through the Learning Exchange sometimes explained their interest in volunteering by talking at length about their commitment to social change or social justice....
Motives for change: addressing social marginalization
What is behind efforts to bring about change in poor and marginalized communities like Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside? Why should anyone try to make a difference? The problems seem so intractable. Besides, poverty is inevitable. Someone will always be p...
The cauldron is community
Where do you go to learn to be a social change agent or social activist? Universities and colleges might seem like a logical choice. Post-secondary institutions are the repositories of scientific knowledge from a wide range of disciplines. They train...