International Service-Learning and Community Engagement

Abstract

One of the challenges that the scholarship of engagement has faced over the last 30 years is that of terminology. There are numerous terms to describe campus community engagement, not aided by the various forms or degrees of engagement. The terminology and semantic issues are complicated further when different languages and cultures are added to the mix. Even within this section, there are subtle differences between international service-learning, or ISL (involving travel abroad), and global service-learning (referring to the field in different countries). Here, IJRSLCE seeks to provide a space in which scholars from around the world can share their work, raise questions, examine practice, and contribute to research in this domain. By sharing knowledge and identifying similarities and common experiences, “the other” ceases to be “foreign” and is recognised as familiar.