Public Interest Anthropology: A Boasian Service-Learning Initiative By

This paper describes the theoretical rationale and practice related to two connected anthropology courses at the University of Pennsylvania and University City High School, a predominantly African-American school on Penn's border. The courses are part of Penn's ABCS (academically-based community service) program. Grounded in the Boasian legacy of cultural anthropology, the courses share much in common with the principle of service-learning to "link community service and academic study so that each strengthens the other. " It is suggested that anthropology is uniquely relevant to the educative function of community service learning because of the role the concept of culture plays in the development of multiculturally-sensitive citizens