The Role of Power in Experiences of Service Learning Community Partners

Abstract

While the body of empirical work regarding the experiences of community partners in service-learning is expanding, there is limited understanding of the role of power at both the individual and institutional levels. This article discusses a qualitative study that focused on the experiences of 20 community partners who collaborated with faculty and students on various service-learning projects. Using theories related to power, the authors sought to understand the role of relational and structural power during service-learning from the perspectives of community partners. Findings here indicate that while faculty and universities most often hold power over community partners, this is not always the case. In addition, power has both negative and positive effects in the relationships between both individuals and organizations engaged in service-learning.