Transforming Argumentative Dialogue Through Prison Service-Learning Projects

To cultivate a more informed citizenry, we argue that service-learning as a pedagogy has the potential to transform argumentative discourse by creating space for both compassion and rationality in a politically contested learning environment. The paper describes a service-learning experience where engagement with the prison population exposed students directly to issues surrounding rehabilitation. The study found that service- learning relationships between students and prisoners, coupled with reflective writing, provided students with new evidence to support claims about the need for rehabilitation programs in prisons.