Civic Education and Citizen Engagement: Mobilizing Voters as a Required Field Experiment

This article explains the benefits and challenges of requiring undergraduate political science students to act outside the classroom to mobilize voters. Although several published articles 1 1. See, e.g., Ambrosio 2004 Ambrosio , Thomas . 2004 . “ Bringing Ethnic Conflict into the Classroom: A Student –Centered Simulation of Multiethnic Politics .” PS: Political Science Battistoni 1997 Battistoni , Richard M. 1997 . Experiencing Citizenship: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Political Science . Washington , D.C. : American Association for Higher Education . Google Scholar; Battistoni 2000 Battistoni , Richard M. 2000 . “ Service Learning in Political Science: An Introduction .” PS: Political Science Campbell 2000 Campbell , David E. 2000 . “ Social Capital and Service Learning .” PS: Political Science Ciliotta-Rubery and Levy 2000 Ciliotta-Rubery , Andrew and Dena Levy . 2000 . “ Congressional Committee Simulation: An Active Learning Experiment .” PS: Political Science Delli Carpini and Keeter 2000 Delli Carpini , Michael and Scott Keeter . 2000 . “ What Should Be Learned through Service Learning .” PS: Political Science Dicklitch 2003 Dicklitch , Susan . 2003 . “ Real Service – Real Learning: Making Political Science Relevant Through Service-Learning .” PS: Political Science Dougherty 2003 Dougherty , Beth K. 2003 . “ Byzantine Politics: Using Simulations to Make Sense of the Middle East .” PS: Political Science Dudley and Gitelson 2003 Dudley , Robert L. and Alan R. Gitelson . 2003 . “ Civic Education, Civic Engagement, and Youth Civic Development .” PS: Political Science Erlich 1999 Erlich , Thomas . 1999 . “ Civic Education: Lessons Learned .” PS: Political Science Gregory, Mattern, and Mitchell 2001 Gregory , Jill , Mark Mattern , and Shari Mitchell . 2001 . “ From Ivory Tower to Urban Street: Using the Classroom as a Community Research and Development Tool .” PS: Political Science Grummel 2003 Grummel , John A. 2003 . “ Using Simulation to Teach Decision-making within the Policy Process .” PS: Political Science Hepburn, Niemi, and Chapman 2000 Hepburn , Mary A. , Richard G. Niemi , and Chris Chapman . 2000 . “ Service Learning in College Political Science: Queries and Commentary .” PS: Political Science Hunter and Brisbin 2003 Hunter , Susan and Richard A. Brisbin, Jr . 2003 . “ Civic Education and Political Science: A Survey of Practices .” PS: Political Science Jefferson 1999 Jefferson , Kurt W. 1999 . “ The Bosnian War Crimes Trial Simulation: Teaching Students about the Fuzziness of World Politics and International Law .” PS: Political Science Kathlene and Choate 1999 Kathlene , Lyn and Judd Choate . 1999 . “ Running for Elected Office: A Ten-Week Political Campaign Simulation for Upper-Division Courses .” PS: Political Science Newmann and Twigg 2000 Newmann , William and Judyth L. Twigg . 2000 . “ Active Engagement of the Intro IR Student: A Simulation Approach .” PS: Political Science Owen 2000 Owen , Diana . 2000 . “ Service Learning and Political Socialization .” PS: Political Science Pappas and Peaden 2004 Pappas , Christine and Charles Peaden. 2004 . “ Running for Your Grade: A Six-Week Senatorial Campaign Simulation .” PS Political Science Patterson 2000 Patterson , Amy S. 2000 . “ It's a Small World: Incorporating Service Learning into International Relations Courses .” PS: Political Science Thomas 2002 Thomas , G. Dale . 2002 . “ The Isle of Ted Simulation: Teaching Collective Action in International Relations and Organization .” PS: Political Science Walker 2000 Walker , Toby . 2000 . “ The Service/Politics Split: Rethinking Service to Teach Political Engagement .” PS: Political Science & Politics 33 ( September ): 647 – 662 CSA Google Scholar. describe student engagement with social service agencies, policy research, community outreach, and classroom simulations, this article fills a gap in the political science literature on civic education and service learning: the value of involving students directly in electoral politics.