Feminism Negotiated: A Study of Feminist Community Engagement through a University Women's Center

Community engagement and service-learning programs have become staples in the curricula of colleges across the United States. While the intentions behind many of these programs are altruistic, they can often unwittingly replicate oppressive power dynamics with the communities they seek to serve. This dissertation explored how feminist community engagement can mitigate many of these dynamics through an examination of a girls' mentoring program that operates through a university women's center and abides by the values of feminist community engagement. This study aimed to provide a nuanced understanding of the program's history and the relationships between the university and community partners, which enabled the program's sustainability and success as defined by participants. A qualitative case study approach was utilized, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants representing the women's center and community site. Particular attention was given to the complexity of institutional relationships, navigating challenges, and the implications of using a feminist lens in community engagement programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]