National service and volunteerism enjoy a rich history in the United States and an emergent future in other parts of the world. However, there remains relatively scant evidence of overall impact of national service programs and volunteer effectiveness. This condition continues to threaten national service and volunteer programs with the risk of defunding and/or the risk of not investing sufficiently from the start. This book brings together a selection of diverse chapters written by a comb...

Democracy should enable citizens to play an informed role in determining how power is exercised for their common wellbeing, but this only works if people have the understanding, skills and confidence to engage effectively in public affairs. Otherwise, any voting system can be subverted to serve the interests of propagandists and demagogues.This book brings together leading experts on learning for democracy to explore why and how the gap in civic competence should be bridged.

This collection of short, contemporary plays by award-winning playwright Susan C. Hunter provides a wide range of thought-provoking listening. Each play is a stand-alone gem, yet experienced together, they are eloquently connected, often mirroring the humorous and dramatic sides of the same themes. Alternately hilarious and moving, it is read by a full cast of talented narrators.

How and why are arts and cultural practices meaningful to communities?Highlighting examples from Lebanon, Latin America, China, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka and beyond, this exciting book explores the relationship between the arts, culture and community development.Academics and practitioners from six continents discuss how diverse communities understand, re-imagine or seek to change personal, cultural, social, economic or political conditions while using the arts as their mea...

Newbery Medal winner Carol Ryrie Brink uses vignettes of people she knew during her childhood in Idaho to give a glimpse of everyday life in the early twentieth century and to provide insight into her own tragic early years. This evocative and ultimately uplifting memoir is read by veteran narrators Emily Eiden, Nora Hunter, Susan C. Hunter and a full cast of the author's descendants and family members. Brink fans will recognize the real-life inspirations for many of the characters in her ...

Professionalizing Second Language Writing is an edited collection that bring together perspectives of second language writing specialists who shed light on second language writing as a profession. Some of the chapters illuminate the nature of second language writing not only as a field but as a profession. Other chapters provide an in-depth look at the issues second language writing specialists face as they go through various stages of professional development in their institutional contex...