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Provides an original and challenging contribution to contemporary debates on the civic purpose of higher education, exploring its manifestations through practices of teaching and research. Offers critical perspectives on the role of higher education institutions in terms of realizing civic missions, especially in current global market conditions.

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PART I: FRAMING DEBATES Civic Engagement in a Cold Climate: Higher Education after the Boom; R.Munck Higher Education as a Force for Societal Change in the 21st Century; B.Gourley The Walls; M.O´Malley Education for Active Citizenship: Citizens for Country and Conscience; Sr.S.Kennedy Embedding Public Engagement within Higher Education: Lessons from the Beacons for Public Engagement; P.Manners Survey of Civic Engagement within Higher Education in Ireland; A.Lyons PART II: PEDAGOGY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Civic Engagement: What, How, and Why?; R.Bringle Teaching and Learning for Civic Engagement: Sustainability though Alignment; J.Boland Academic Excellence and Community Engagement: Reflections on the Latin American Experience; M.Nieves Turning the Inside Outside: Risks as Perceived by Community University Partners in Service Learning; L.McIlrath State of Service-Learning at the University of Granada (Spain); J.L.Arco PART III: SCHOLARSHIP AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH A ´civic mission´ for the University: History, International Trends and Institutional Responses; M.Cuthill Critical Reflections on how Community-based Research Challenges Organizational Culture within the Academy; T.de Brun, A.McFarlane & M.O´Reilly-de Brun Talking the Talk, then Walking the Walk: how Community Research Partnerships really Work; M.Adshead

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Lorraine McIlrath is Community Knowledge Initiative Coordinator & Academic Staff Developer at National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

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