Hospitality, Risk, and Justice: Rethinking Service-Learning Through the Work of Letty M. Russell and Sharon D. Welch

Abstract

In the last several decades, service-learning has become a key feature of higher education. In this article, I argue that the work of Christian feminists Letty M. Russell and Sharon D. Welch enriches current scholarship on service-learning by drawing attention to foundational ethical issues. The first section of the article provides background on service-learning at U.S. colleges and universities, identifying major values and priorities that have informed its development. The second and third sections analyze Russell’s concepts of “weaponized difference” and “deformed hospitality” alongside Welch’s “ethic of control” and “ethic of risk.” I use these concepts to interrogate prominent aspects of traditional service-learning models and craft a framework, centered on two risk questions, to aid faculty and administrators as they reimagine service-learning opportunities, particularly in Christian educational contexts.