f Pedagogies of engagement: Using appreciative inquiry to study post-secondary citizenship education

In response to literature documenting the purported disengagement of youth in the civic sphere and the increasing impact of neo-liberal ideologies and policies on the post-secondary education landscape, this article furthers discussion about the civic potential of university education and explores how specific pedagogies can help foster the civic engagement of university students and graduates. Drawing from data collected at Renaissance College (RC), at the University of New Brunswick, this article documents the collaborative and experiential pedagogies used in that programme to support civic learning. Overall, this study demonstrates that the approaches taken at RC are challenging but worthwhile pedagogies that can enhance students’ abilities to become engaged citizens and challenge neo-liberal doctrine at post-secondary institutions. This study also demonstrates how appreciative inquiry (AI) contributes to the development of a methodological framework for studying citizenship education by connecting the epistemological foundations of AI and citizenship education.