The purpose of this study is to broaden the theoretical debates on youth volunteering by examining the terrains of the debates on the nature of youth volunteering that revolves around the discourse of 'service-learning' and revealing differences in pe...
The purpose of this study is to broaden the theoretical debates on youth volunteering by examining the terrains of the debates on the nature of youth volunteering that revolves around the discourse of 'service-learning' and revealing differences in perspectives on the meaning of service-learning. Already, interest of many researchers in volunteering has moved beyond the practical and pragmatic and has been theorized around the concept of 'service learning'. Service-learning has emerged from the institutionalizations of youth volunteering and has driven the enactment of volunteer legislations. Meanwhile, critical service-learning theories have been raised from a different perspective from policy discourses and mainstream service-learning theories. Both of the existing service-learning theory, which sees youth learning citizenship as a responsibility and duty for social integration through volunteering, and the critical service-learning theory, which recognizes the structural inequalities of neoliberalism and seeks critical citizenship for social justice, require an understanding of the political, economic, and social context surrounding youth volunteering. It is hoped that through the dialogues between the two perspectives, youth service learning for democratic citizenship will be explored.