ERIC Number: EJ1204484
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Mar
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1053-8259
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Camp as an Institution of Socialization: Past, Present, and Future
Browne, Laurie P.; Gillard, Ann; Garst, Barry A.
Journal of Experiential Education, v42 n1 p51-64 Mar 2019
Background: Summer camps are perhaps the most expansive outdoor experiential education (OEE) context in the United States today; yet, camp participants are overwhelmingly White and able-bodied, with most coming from middle- to upper-income earning families. Purpose: In response to Warren, Roberts, Breunig, and Alvarez's question "What will it take before OEE programs become genuinely accessible to all who want to participate?" (p. 98), we explore issues of access, equity, and inclusion within the institution of camp. Methodology/Approach: We present a historical review followed by three case studies that demonstrate how some camps address access, equity, and inclusion in the past and today. Findings/Conclusions: Camps in the United States have shaped young people for over a century through powerful socializing factors, but there is much to be done to ensure camps are truly accessible and inclusive for all. Implications: Our case studies demonstrate specific ways camps can address appropriation of Native American culture and ensure inclusion of transgender youth and youth without the resources necessary to attend camp. We also discuss ways to promote equity across social identities and through environmental justice.
Descriptors: Summer Programs, Socialization, Access to Education, Equal Education, Outdoor Education, Experiential Learning, Social Differences, Case Studies, Educational History, Inclusion, American Indian Culture, Sexual Identity, Minority Groups, Gender Differences, Homosexuality, Program Descriptions, Low Income, Race, Ethnicity, Cultural Background
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Virginia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A