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Civic Engagement Advantages

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Civic engagement is an important topic as there seems to be a conflict between advocates of civic engagement in higher learning and those who oppose the addition of civic engagement in schools and universities. Since youth are active in their local communities more than ever and they shape the future of their respective societies, this essay will argue that civic engagement is critical and widely beneficial for students’ development (Cantor, 1995). Civic engagement is defined as the “individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern” (Carpini, 2001). Civic engagement can take many forms, from volunteering as an individual to organizational involvement to participating in elections. It encompasses the efforts to directly tackle an issue, collaborating with others in a group to solve a problem or cooperating with the establishments of representative democracy. Smith (2009) states that there is an increased usage of the internet and social media by people to voice opinions and incite a change in societies; there are …show more content…

“Stanley Fish attempts to provide support for his argument through claiming that character cannot be taught and that civic responsibility is not learnt in a classroom; however his claims do not subdue the various benefits of civic engagement in universities and he does not mention how freedom of expression and engaging in community activities would impair the students or the university’s performance. His shortage of sufficient support leads to the eventual breakdown of the points of view he is trying to convey.” Everyone can become a more engaged citizen through simple acts such as volunteering for a noble cause on weekends; it is these kind of actions that brings a community together for the improvement of themselves as individuals and as a whole group, and eventually, the achievement of the greater

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