Abstract Book of the 9th International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Teaching Students to Liberate Themselves: An exploration of liberatory course design
Dr. Zahra Ahmed
ABSTRACT:
As a democracy, the United States relies on an informed and participatory citizenry to guide our institutions and hold public officials accountable. Grounded in Black feminist theory and empowerment theory, this paper analyzes a course that trained students to develop and implement social justice action projects with the aim of creating participatory citizens and supporting radically inclusive democracy. It offers guidance and recommendations for educators to facilitate the development of civic skills, which can strengthen student confidence and capacity to engage in political action. The project utilizes a practitioner inquiry and action research methodology to analyze student experiences and the instructor’s role in socializing students for political action.
Keywords: political action, radically inclusive democracy, civic engagement