Zine-Making as a Pedagogical Tool for Transformative Learning in Social Work Education

Abstract

As a collaborative endeavor between teacher and student, we reflect on the process of creating and sharing social justice oriented zines in our classroom. Zines can be used as a pedagogical tool for awareness, education, empowerment and transformation. Created in the form of self-published work of original and/or appropriated texts and images, zines are usually presented in small booklet format in a variety of ways, from computer-printed text to comics to handwritten text. When shared, they represent a subversive form of media to deconstruct stereotypes and hegemonic representations perpetuated by mainstream media. Through our classroom project, we found that zines provided an opportunity for creative expression, connection and collaboration. As an experiential technique, they can serve to raise student self-awareness and allow for a broader understanding of power hierarchies. As a direct action tool they can be useful for promoting active class participation in the movement for social justice. We advocate for integrating arts-based projects in social work education in order to promote more embodied ways of learning and to facilitate personal and societal transformation.