The New School has a rich history and reputation as a higher education institution committed to supporting the engagement of students and scholars in thinking about and enacting positive social change. Our conversations and debates, in and out of the classroom, make civic engagement an aspect of learning as well as doing. Civic engagement work done by New School students, faculty, and staff, in collaboration with the community members in New York City, across the nation, and abroad, integrates theory and practice.

Works-In-Progress Series

Works-In-Progress is a series designed to bring New School faculty, students, and staff together with community partners to discuss and build community around civic engagement projects. Discussions include on-going projects and offer the audience an opportunity to learn about these works and other opportunities for engagement.

Past talks have included the following:

David Scobey, “Civic Engagement in the New Division: What We Are Doing? What We Are Planning?”

Cynthia Lawson, “DEED: Development through Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Design”

Blaise Rastello, “The Community Development Finance Lab”

Lara Penin and Eduardo Staszkowski, “Amplifying Creative Communities”

Louise Montello, “The Arts and Social Engagement”

Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani, “City Studio/Layered SPURA: Visual Urbanism and Civic Engagement”

John Clinton, “Milano and the Solar Decathlon: Beyond the Competition”

Julia Foulkes and Mark Larrimore, “Making A History of The New School through Community”

Workshop on Civic Engagement at The New School

These workshops provide an opportunity for faculty members, students, and community partners to discuss the importance of civic engagement work at The New School and to explore ways to strengthen its positive effects in the classroom and the community we serve.

The Civic Engagement Committee held its second annual workshop in April 2012, “Working With People: A Workshop on Keywords and Contested Meanings.” The event focused on developing critical conversations around “civic engagement” and the pedagogy and politics of teaching “with communities.” The conversation focused on different understandings of crucial keywords—community and collaboration; politics and citizenship; and representation and human—to build a more nuanced way of working with people.

View last year's plenary and concluding session.