Civil Society in Concrete Terms in the Digital Future: Engagement, Participation and Democratic Action

22B1857

Bachelor

German

5.0

only winter term

1 semester

"Manage engagement, strengthen the common good!" is the motto for the degree programme "Public Management". Accordingly, it is important that the students themselves have had experience with voluntary engagement or at least know the experiences of volunteers. The module therefore offers the opportunity to try out volunteering for others or to conduct a mini-research project on the topic of volunteering. Reflecting on practical experiences and/or analysing research results should lead to value formation and help students and future professionals to orient themselves towards the common good. In particular, digital concepts for civil society engagement should also be taken into account, which ensure the sustainability of engagement, participation and democratic action.

To study this module, students choose one of two options: the "Service Track" or the "Theory Track". The core element of the module is the "Service Track", where students decide to volunteer for one semester at a non-profit institution in Osnabrück (or the Osnabrück region) and experience promoting the common good. Students primarily learn while engaging in practical activities. The module builds on what has been learned in the previous modules "Introduction to Political and Social Sciences" and "Practice of Political and Social Sciences". The module begins with a kick-off workshop that picks up on what has been learned before and, on this basis, defines essential criteria for the final reflection.
The students choose a practical institution where they work once a week for a few hours. Their reflection on this practical time takes place in a follow-up workshop at the end of the semester. Teachers and students jointly pursue the goal of recording, discussing and reflecting on the experiences in terms of personal development. The reflection is an obligatory part of the examination form "practical report". If students have chosen the "theory track", they will contribute to the follow-up workshop and give all participants the opportunity to learn from further insights and develop new ideas for future concepts in civil society.

Note: In order to maintain the voluntary nature of the work to be done, the module is internally differentiated. At the end of the 2nd semester, students must indicate whether they would like to take the "Service Track" with practical, voluntary work or the "Theory Track", in which they would like to deal more theoretically - e.g. in the form of surveys or literature work - with the topic of "volunteering" or "civil society engagement / voluntary work".

Syllabus:

• insights from social science and history: volunteering and civil society in Germany
• knowledge on significance of volunteering for democracy and civil society (macro, meso and micro level incl. individual and societal value formation)
• findings from social and behavioural science motivation for volunteering 
• basic knowledge and development of criteria for practice reflection (service track) and the analysis of social science studies (theory track) incl. basics for qualitative research.

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Project Report, written or
• Project Report, medial

"Introduction to Political and Social Sciences" and "Practice of Political and Social Sciences"

Students have insights into current research findings on social engagement and civil society in Germany. They know the social dynamics that determine motivations for volunteering. They are aware that and how digitalisation and technological innovations influence the sector.

Students can assess the importance of volunteering for the common good. Students evaluate and analyse the values that guide voluntary engagement.

Students are able to critically reflect on values and attitudes in society that are associated with social groups or individuals and cause suffering. They know the institutional conditions that promote voluntary engagement and can draw conclusions for the management and promotion of civic engagement.

Students know and experience their personal possibilities and limits in serving others. With regard to their own social commitment, they are able to reflect on criteria, supporting factors and hurdles.

Students are able to meet and treat other people with empathy. Students try to support people in need of help. They are able to provide help to restore or maintain people's ability to act.

• Public Management, B.A.

• Loer, Kathrin

• Loer, Kathrin