ALL ABOARD: CHARTING A COMMUNITY-LINKED COURSE IN DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION

In this article, I outline the outcome of a research study into how community-linked learning (CLL) can be integrated into university education to deepen students’ experience of development education (DE). DE in this study takes a critical pedagogy,postcolonial,and justice-orientated approach to learning. This critical theoretical foundation is an integral aspect of the research. The article explores how I as an educator,together with university students and local and international community partners, can understand how to make connections between local and global societal challenges and take action for positive change. Through meaningful engagement with communities, this approach provides transformative learning experiences that equi p students with critical skills, knowledge, values, and methodologies to tackle global challenges. The article reflects on a study conducted using a critical ethnographic methodology, that involved collecting data from interviews, personal and collective narratives, focus groups, and partici pant observation. It found that CLL is highly effective in bridging local and global contexts,promoting social justice, and empowering both students and community partners as agents of change. The insights gained from partici pants highlighted the transformative nature of DE and emphasised its political essence, which has the potential to contribute towards a more just and sustainable world by fostering proactive communities and empowering individuals. Drawing on the works of critical theorists such as Freire, Gramsci, and Bourdieu, the study provides a nuanced understanding of how power, ideology, and social structures influence individuals’ perspectives and actions, and how historical, political, and economic forces shape local and global issues. The study also addresses ethical considerations around power imbalances, autonomy, and agency of community partners, and emphasises the importance of moving from the personal to the political in DE practice. It concludes with optimism, showcasing how this methodology can enhance our understanding of global interconnectedness and contribute to a more equitable world.