Advocate (verb)
to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.): to plead in favor of
Know Your Legislation
Research current or recent legislation on an issue you’re discussing in a course at the local, state, or federal level. Have students form an argument about how the legislation addresses the issue, why (or why not) the legislation is sufficient, and any additional recommendations they might have for this issue. Then have the students send their work to the appropriate representative(s).
Information Literacy
Check out this information literacy assignment from the College of St. Scholastica that was chronicled on the ACE blog. While it was for a first-year biology course, it could be adapted for just about any course where you’ve thought about how public policy intersects with the course topics.
Deliberate
Have students discuss and deliberate over an issue, preferably with people outside of the course. Ask students to reflect on their understanding of the topic before the dialogue and deliberation, how their understanding was deepened and/or changed as a result of the deliberation, and how effective they were at explaining and communicating their point of view to others. Visit the “Talk” section for many resources to use and structure a dialogue and deliberation.
Demonstrate
The ability to assemble and demonstrate is a cornerstone of our democracy. Encourage students to attend or organize a demonstration around a topic of their choosing or as it relates to the course content. How did they approach this work? How effective did they feel there civic participation was at awareness, advocacy, and change? How did their participation change how they view the issue at hand and their civic identity?
More Ideas…
Visit the Get Involved page on St. Olaf’s vote website for other ways that students are being encouraged to get involved this election season. Many are easily adaptable to different courses and learning objectives!
Write an Op-Ed
Op-Eds (“short for “opposite the editorial page”) have been a standard for advocating for certain political candidates for years. While newspaper outlets have shifted drastically in the last 20 years, the Op-Ed still has a place and even more venues for distribution. Have students research candidates’ platforms or views around issues and topics from your course. Students can then write an op-ed in favor of the candidate whose views on that particular topic most closely aligns with their own.
Also great to roll into this assignment:
- issues around rhetoric, particularly political rhetoric
- psychology of choice in politics
- effective argumentative writing
- social media algorithms and the effects on distribution of news
Volunteer for a campaign
Have students actually commit to volunteering for a campaign of their choosing. Activities can often include telebanking, door-to-door canvassing, assisting with mailings and marketing, and coordinating events and other outreach.
Besides seeing how political campaigns work on the ground, here are some other ties you might be able to make between this direct service effort and a variety of interdisciplinary topics, including:
- campaign financing and fundraising (mechanics, legalities, role of lobbying organizations, etc.)
- organizational management
- community organizing and mobilization
- media and communication
- social psychology
- technology access and ability to reach voters
- voters rights and barriers to voting, particularly for disenfranchised groups
- voting blocs by demographics and how candidates appeal to different groups
More ideas…
Visit the Get Involved page on St. Olaf’s vote website for other ways that students are being encouraged to get involved this election season with particular candidates and campaigns. Many are easily adaptable to different courses and learning objectives!