Practical Beauty and the Legacy of Pragmatism: Generating Theory for Community-Engaged Scholarship

Abstract

In this paper I consider how Hans-Georg Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics can complement the pragmatic theory that has informed the field of service-learning, and with its emphasis on community and respect for others, can offer an orientation to further the work of service-learning and community engagement in a mutually satisfying way for scholars, practitioners, and community partners. In keeping with Gadamer's contention that mythological thinking has its rightful place alongside analytical thinking, I provide an interpretation of the myth of Hermes for emancipatory education practice, and then invite readers to consider some implications of philosophical hermeneutics through traditional philosophical exposition. I posit there is much to be gained by framing community engagement as a civic art or practical beauty with a distinct epistemological foundation that values conversation, participation, and openended, collective processes to work for the common good. This orientation would require us to reconsider the purposes and reorient the values of this field of educational practice.

Tracing the Liberal Arts Traditions in Support of Service-learning and Public-engaged Scholarship in the Humanities

“…They wrote, ''It can be fairly said: In the beginning there was Dewey' ' (1998: 11). The central focus on Dewey and pragmatism continues (e.g., Giles and Eyler 1994;Sandy 2011;Varlotta 1997), and it is possible that humanities scholars who wish to make the leap to public-engaged scholarship may feel they need to discard their discipline's allegiance to other traditions.…”

“…After the American Revolution, however, higher education in the United States became closely aligned with the modern scientific model of the German university to ''promote useful knowledge'' (Kimball 1986:136). But in contrast to the European universities that provided access only to the elites, American higher education institutions included a populist orientation, due in part to the necessity of rule by democracy and the development of American-grown pragmatism (Sandy 2011).…”

“It’s sweeter where the bruise is”: making sense of the experience of family homelessness in a community–campus partnership

“…Method: conversation-based design I adapted a conversational form of the hermeneutic method (Gadamer, 1975;Herda, 1999;Sandy, 2011) when working with community co-researchers over a number of years, when conversations flow naturally among people who know each other well. If a friendship emerges and we agree to engage in a research project together, everyone participates in the back and forth of question and answer, including the researcher.…”

“…If a friendship emerges and we agree to engage in a research project together, everyone participates in the back and forth of question and answer, including the researcher. A protocol of questions is not necessarily vetted beforehand, and we do not know exactly where the conversation will lead or when it will end (Sandy, 2011). I audiotape the research conversations and provide written transcripts to participants for them to review and approve, which is typical in hermeneutic research (Herda, 1999).…”

“…The observations included here are characteristic of a hermeneutic, "phronetic" approach to case study research and social policy formation (e.g. Sandy, 2011;Schram, 2004;Thomas, 2011) where there is an emphasis on listening to the expertise of individuals with diverse life experiences, deliberating together to define good policies, and allowing for flexibility in local practices. I hope Delilah's story has helped shed a unique light on family homelessness and community-campus partnerships.…”