Discourses of Volunteering and Civic Action in the USA

Inspired by Foucault’s genealogical approach, this paper examines the historical discourses of popular engagement in the USA—specifically how volunteering and civic action have been treated in relation to politics and public opinion over time. The paper describes that throughout US history, the relationship between volunteering and civic action has evolved from being more or less blurred in distinction—and has had different meanings for different groups of people. With the election and policies of the current president, we may be entering a new era of increased and politicized volunteering and civic action.