Re-imagining the Polity for a Networked Humanity

Posted on September 7, 2016 by David Bollier

This is the third and final installment from my essay, "Transnational Republics of Commoning: Reinventing Governance through Emergent Networks," published by Friends of the Earth UK. The full essay can be downloaded as a pdf file here.

III. Re-imagining the Polity for a Networked Humanity

However promising the new forms of open source governance outlined above, they do not of themselves constitute a polity. The new regimes of collaboration constitute mini- and meso-systems of self-organization. They do not comprise a superstructure of law, policy, infrastructure and macro-support, which is also needed. So what might such a superstructure look like, and how might it be created? Can we envision some sort of transnational polity that could leapfrog over the poorly functioning state systems that prevail today?

A first observation on this question is that the very idea of a polity must evolve. So long as we remain tethered to the premises of the Westphalian nation-state system, with its strict notions of absolute sovereignty over geographic territory and people and its mechanical worldview enforced by bureaucracies and law, the larger needs of the Earth as a living ecosystem will suffer. So, too, will the basic creaturely needs of human beings, which are universal prepolitical ethical needs beyond national identity.

It may simply be premature to declare what a post-Westphalian polity ought to look like – but we certainly must orient ourselves in that direction. For the reasons cited above, we should find ways to encourage the growth of a Commons Sector, in both digital and non-virtual contexts, and in ways that traverse existing territorial political boundaries. Ecosystems are not confined by political borders, after all, and increasingly, neither are capital and commerce. Culture, too, is increasingly transnational. Any serious social or ecological reconstruction must be supported by making nation-state barriers more open to transnational collaboration if durable, effective solutions are to be developed.

While states are usually quite jealous in protecting their authority, transnational commons should be seen as helping the beleaguered nation-state system by compensating for its deficiencies. By empowering ordinary people to take responsibility and reap entitlements as commoners, nation-states could foster an explosion of open-source problem-solving and diminish dependencies on volatile, often-predatory global markets, while bolstering their credibility and legitimacy as systems of power.

But how might we begin to build a commons-friendly polity? After all, the most politically attractive approaches have no ambitions to change the system, while any grand proposals for transforming neoliberal capitalism are seen as political non-starters. I suggest three “entry points” that can serve as long-term strategies for transformation:

1) begin to reconceptualize cities as commons;

2) reframe the “right to common” (access to basic resources for survival and dignity) as a human right; and

3) build new collaborations among system-critical social movements so that a critical mass of resistance and creative alternatives can emerge.

These three general strategies are not separate approaches, of course, but highly complementary and synergistic.

my Introduction to Philosophy seminar

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Peter

I will be teaching Intro to Philosophy at Tufts this semester, starting tomorrow. This course can be taught in several different ways: for instance, with a chronological sequence of major works, with a focus on one large issue, or with an array of excellent but accessible recent articles that give a flavor of the current discipline. I’ve opted to emphasize one of the great philosophical questions: “How should I live?” I’ve tried to select authors who represent reasonably diverse cultural traditions; it was while planning the syllabus that I wrote a piece for Aeon entitled “The lack of diversity in philosophy is blocking its progress.”

The readings will specifically consider whether truthfulness, happiness, and justice are important aspects of a good life. Some of the assigned authors will argue that these three goods fit together neatly, for to be happy requires being truthful and just. But some of our authors will dispute that premise.

I paste the reading assignments below.

Syllabus: Subject to Change

Sept. 7: Overview and introduction

I. Truthfulness

Is there an obligation to seek the truth? To say or teach the truth to others? How does truthfulness relate to happiness and justice? Can we know truths about ethics?

Sept. 12: Plato, Apology, sections §17-35. Also Justin P. McBrayer, “ Why Our Children Don’t Think There are Moral Facts ,” The New York Times, March 2, 2015. Or in this PDF if you have trouble reading it on the NY Times site.

Sept. 14: Plato, Apology §35-42

Sept. 19: Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, aphorisms §1-12

Sept. 21: Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, aphorisms §13-32

First paper due. Describe a situation in which it’s problematic whether to be truthful or not. Argue in favor of being truthful or not being truthful in this situation. Define what you mean by the term “truthful.” Give reasons for your position and explain and counter good reasons against it. Cite at least one relevant passage from Plato or Nietzsche.

II. Happiness

What is happiness? What are the best paths to happiness? Do we have a right to pursue our own happiness? Can we make others happy?

Sept. 26: Epicurus, “Letter to Menoeceus” (We will also discuss Socrates’ remarks about happiness in the “Apology,” already assigned.)

Sept. 28: “Buddha,” in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (entry by Mark Siderits)

Oct. 3: “Buddha” (continued)

Oct. 5. Emerson, “Self-Reliance”

Oct 10: No class (Columbus Day)

Oct. 12: More discussion of the “happiness” readings.

Second paper due. Assignment TBA

III. Justice Toward Others

What are principles of justice? Which principles of justice are binding on whom? How do they relate to each other?

A. Welfare

We discussed happiness in the previous section. Could maximizing the happiness of all human beings–or something similar to that–be the main principle of justice?

Oct. 17: Mill, Utilitarianism, chapter 2 (“What Utilitarianism Is”) and chapter 5 (“On the Connection Between Justice and Utility”)

Oct. 19: Rawls, A Theory of Justice, Part I, chapter 1, §5 (versus utilitarianism)

Oct. 24: More discussion of welfare.

B. Liberty

Oct 26: Milton and Rose Friedman, Free to Choose, Introduction and chapter 6 (“What’s Wrong With Our Schools?”)

Oct 31: Friedrich Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty, Chapters 1, 4 and Postscript (pp. 11-21, 54-70, 397-411.)

Nov. 2: John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, Part I, 1 §1-4, 2 §11-17, and 3 §24

Nov. 7: Discussion of Rawls continues.

Nov. 9: Isaiah Berlin, “Two Concepts of Liberty” (1958), in Isaiah Berlin, Four Essays on Liberty (1969)

Third paper due. Assignment TBA

B. Equality

Nov. 14: Tim Scanlon, “When Does Equality Matter?”

Nov. 16: Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, pp. 149-177

Nov. 21: Bayard Rustin, “From Protest to Politics: Future of the Civil Rights Movement,” Commentary (February, 1965)

Nov. 23: More discussion of the “equality” readings. Fourth paper due.

D. Democracy

Nov. 28: Robert A. Dahl, Democracy and its Critics, pp. 106-52

Nov. 30: Kwasi Wiredu, “Democracy and Consensus in Traditional African Politics” (http://them.polylog.org/2/fwk-en.htm) and Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, “Democracy or Consensus?” ( http://them.polylog.org/2/fee-en.htm)

E. Identity

Nov. 30: Audre Lorde, “ The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House ” and Steve Biko, “Black Consciousness and the Quest for True Humanity”

Dec. 5: Todd Gitlin, “The Left, Lost in the Politics of Identity,” Harper’s Magazine, 1993; and Susan Bickford, “Anti-Anti-Identity Politics: Feminism, Democracy, and the Complexities of Citizenship,” Hypatia Vol. 12, No. 4.

Dec. 7: More discussion of the readings on democracy, diversity and inclusion.

Fifth Paper due.

Assignment: Dec. 12: Final discussion

“Founders’ Week”: Preparing Kids for Civic Learning K-12

Posted on September 6, 2016 by stevemasy

As we here in Florida approach another mandated instruction week around our nation’s founding documents and civic legacy, I want to give a chance for you to hear how some districts have integrated something similar at the K-12 level. Kelly Watt is the social studies supervisor in Clay County here in Florida. Clay County has been one of the FJCC’s strongest partners overall, and we are happy to provide Ms. Watt with a platform to share the great work she and her teachers are doing in Clay. Please note that she has shared with you links to materials you might adapt! Most of the post is below the fold because there are some fantastic pictures!-Steve

With a greater focus placed on math and ELA, it’s no secret that social studies has taken a hit nation-wide. The only core subject without a high stakes test in elementary schools in our state, social studies carries a lower priority in many K-6 classrooms throughout Florida. Like many other districts in Florida, Clay has sought out creative approaches that provide students with opportunities to engage in social studies content and skills. We believe that an ongoing, solid exposure to social studies will produce the citizenry needed in our global society, eventually closing the “civic achievement gap.”

While we have found opportunities to integrate ELA and social studies through curriculum mapping, lesson planning and professional development, we realized we needed to also capitalize on what was already in place. Each year, according to state statute, Florida schools commemorate the Declaration of Independence during the last full week of September. And according to federal law, we should recognize Constitution Day on September 17. Then last year a bill moved through the Florida legislature designating September as Founders Month. While it didn’t pass, it did get our wheels moving. What if we could establish a celebration during the last week of September that promoted the spirit of our country’s roots and values, while bringing schools and community together for a celebration that was uniquely ours?

Last year was our first year celebrating what we called Founders’ Week. I began planning in the spring, before teachers left for the summer. My vision included all K-12 schools engaging in meaningful activities during the week that supported the understanding of our founding documents, individuals, and ideas. These events would be coordinated from a district, school and classroom level. After gaining approval from our school district’s leaders, I shared out the plan with administrators at our monthly curriculum council. If this idea was going to take hold, it needed their leadership and support.

When teachers returned from summer break, I e-mailed them packets with information, lessons aligned to ELA standards and the Fisher and Frey Framework (our instructional model), and contest details. There was one packet for Elementary and one for Secondary. While they were expected to uphold state statutes, teachers were free to use their own materials as well.

Again, Founders’ Week provided us an opportunity for students to engage deeply in social studies content and skills. For this reason, each year we focus on a different theme. In our inaugural year, I chose the Preamble, since it serves as the foundational piece of our democracy.

Please read and see more below the fold!

We kicked off Founders’ Week at our September school board meeting, which also happened to be Constitution Day. A beautifully painted mural, designed by high school art students, covered the wall behind the board members. A high school ROTC led us in the pledge and presentation of the colors. Another high school’s choir sang the National Anthem as well as some World War II-era songs. Finally, a different high school’s drama troupe wrote and performed a comedic skit based upon the origins of the Bill of Rights. The student participants were outstanding, so proud to be there and showcase their programs.. At the same time, the students, board and audience gained exposure to social studies concepts, while sending the message to the community that these things matter to us.

(Video link)

Founders’ Week was underway the following Monday. While the participation levels varied across our 41 schools, it was hard not to notice that every school was doing something. In fact, in many schools, a major celebration was underway.

Founders Week in the Elementary Classrooms

Yes, we do know that Lincoln was NOT a Founder…but he IS important when discussing the ways in which freedom has been shaped by our history and founding!

In one of our elementary schools, they held a Freedom Family Fun Night during the week, inviting families to enjoy complimentary hotdogs (distributed by President Lincoln himself), student choirs, children’s arts and crafts stations, letter-writing to service men and women overseas, students’ Declaration of Independence banners, as well as many other events. The school reported that it was the largest turnout for a family night in their school’s history. It was so exciting to see schools and community come together for something so positive…and so social studies!

Founders Week in the Secondary Classrooms

With classrooms very much content-based, the secondary world is more of a challenge in a district-wide celebration such as this. At one of our high schools, their academy coach worked with each of the school’s academies and departments to create a plan for integrating this content into their curriculum. For example, in science class, each day they took an important word from the Constitution (such as “self-evident” or “unalienable”), discussed its meaning in it’s original context, then applied that meaning to the world of science. In their Early Childhood Education classes, students studied the roots of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, while students in the Vystar Business academy looked at the impact of 9/11 on our economy. Throughout the week there were presentations on the announcements from clubs, classes and academies, promoting concepts central to Founders’ Week. On Wednesday of that week, the school welcomed a number of guest speakers, including a World War II veteran, a wounded Gulf War veteran, and many members of all of the Armed Forces, both active and retired. Guests spoke of their service, their sacrifice and their dedication to our country. Reflecting on the week, teachers said it brought their large school together in a way they never expected. Students rallied around the spirit of civic values like it was Homecoming Week. For this week, we were all speaking the same language–the language of social studies, the language of democracy.

At the following month’s school board meeting we honored the elementary students who won the art contest, which was based on David Catrow’s We the Kids. Their work was recognized at our county commissioner’s meeting and is now displayed in our Teacher Training Center, which is also the site of our school board meetings.

This year, I have continued with many of our same plans –kicking things off at the school board meeting with high school performers, supporting teachers with packets when they returned from summer (Elementary and Secondary), providing district-wide contests and reaffirming our commitment to keep talking about social studies.

A few changes were made this year that I hope will make for an even richer experience. For one, each school designated an official Founders’ Week contact (“Founderellas and FounderFellas.”) These teachers are those who make sure everyone has access to the packet and spearheads the organizational effort at the school level.

Secondly, I wanted to provide more entryways for our community members. We have so many groups that are eager to support us, but aren’t sure how they can best be utilized. Back in April, I invited many community groups to a meeting with all of our school representatives. In the room we had leaders representing our historical societies, veteran groups, Supervisor of Elections and Clerk of Courts offices, as well as our local museums. Seated at round tables, these mixed groups brainstormed possible plans for supporting this year’s theme — Presidents. Each community group was provided time to present and share their group’s mission. Since then, many schools have contacted these groups for in-house presentations.

While last year didn’t instantly create a district of social studies-minded students, I think we planted the seeds. By the time a student reaches 7th grade, they have received at least seven weeks of instruction on the roots of our democracy since kindergarten. A graduating senior, likely old enough to vote, will have had three months of instruction, outside of their normal routine. We are working hard to close the gap so that one day our students will vote, volunteer, work on issues and become agents of change in their community. And while we are doing it, we are strengthening bonds with each other and our community.

If you are considering a similar celebration in your community, please contact me for more information: kelly.watt@myoneclay.net.

It is always exciting to see civics and social studies being done K-12 in schools, especially in a time when our field struggles to get more than lip service. Thank you, Kelly Watt, for an excellent post on the great things happening in Clay County! -Steve

Freedom, Justice, and Civil Society

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Sarah Shugars

I have been thinking a lot recently about a number of related topics: civil society, of course, but also freedom, self, and justice. I suppose none of these are particularly new, but I’ve but been thinking about their intersection in new ways.

Last week, for example, the University of Chicago made headlines when the Dean of Students expressed the following sentiment to its incoming Freshman class:

Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own

Fostering the free exchange of ideas reinforces a related University priority – building a campus that welcomes people of all backgrounds. Diversity of opinion and background is a fundamental strength of our community. The members of our community must have the freedom to espouse and explore a wider range of ideas.

What’s interesting about these two paragraphs is the totally divergent visions from people on different sides of this issue. Opponents of trigger warnings and safe spaces – I’ll leave invited speakers aside here because I see that as a different issue – see exclusivity, reverse discrimination, and coddling. Proponents see tools which serve precisely that priority the University seeks to advance: welcoming people of all backgrounds and encouraging rich intellectual exchange.

It seems almost strange that such orthogonal interpretations can co-exist.

This is where, it seems to me, that different conceptions of core issues such as freedom, self, and justice come into play – with striking repercussions for how we organize civil society.

These terms are by no means clear or consistent. For example, my friend and colleague Peter Levine once listed at least six different types of freedom. Does freedom mean freedom to act? Freedom to create? Or, perhaps, freedom is a “negative liberty” – freedom is freedom from constraint.

Applied to civil society, the question is no longer what it means to be free, but rather: how do we live freely together?

This question is important because inevitably, our individual freedoms will come into conflict. Social norms as well as laws can be seen moderators of our various freedoms. Murder is illegal because most of us would rather give up our own freedom to commit murder in order to reduce the possibly that someone else will exercise their freedom to murder us. Alternatively, we could argue that one person’s freedom to live outweighs another’s freedom to murder.

Taking freedom in this way, much of our civil infrastructure can be interpreted as a process balancing freedoms: is one person’s freedom to speak more important than another’s freedom to not hear? How hateful or harmful does speech need to be – if indeed there is such a line -before the freedom of the listener outweighs the freedom of the speaker?

These are important questions, but they cannot be separated from questions of self and justice.

First of all, such a concept of freedom only really makes sense if you think of ‘self’ as a discrete, individual unit. If, on the other hand, your concept of ‘self’ has less well-defined boundaries – or perhaps no boundaries at all – then the very idea of freedom becomes less clear. What does it mean for me to be free, if ‘me’ is little more than a “a psychological and historical structure,” as Maurice Merleau-Ponty wrote.

And, importantly, there is the issue of justice. Or, more precisely, the issue of systemic injustice.

Too often, this topic is missing or sidestepped in discussions of civil society.

The question of balancing freedoms is most easy to answer when the people in question are essentially the same. If you think of society as a game where we each have an equal number of points to spend on expressing our defending our freedom, then it seems entirely fair to say that – major issues such as murder aside – we should leave each person to spend their points as they may.

The idea that trigger warnings and safe spaces coddle some students at the expense of other students seems to tacitly rely on this idea: one person’s freedom of speech is too precious to sacrifice another’s comfort.

But such a view disregards the effects of systemic injustice. Safe spaces, for example, are not primarily about exclusion or shutting some perspectives down – it’s about creating space, just a little space, for those people who live their lives inundated with the message that they are bad, inferior, or unalterably wrong. A safe space needs to be created precisely because no other space is safe.

This is an issue far beyond college campuses. We see this issue on campus for precisely the same reason college campuses have seen so much activism: we are training young people to be engaged members of society. We are teaching them to not simply accept the world as it is, but to engage in the hard work of continually working to make the world better.

I once heard a university professor tell young students of color that the world is full of racism and discrimination – so a university which shields its students from those realities is doing them no favors.

The students – justifiably, in my opinion – were shocked.

They each knew all too well that the world is full of discrimination. They each experienced it personally and painfully again and again and again each day. They weren’t asking to be coddled, they weren’t asking to be shielded. They were asking for the opportunity to learn with the freedom their white peers seemed to enjoy.

And they were demanding their own freedom of speech; their own freedom to protest and speak out and to engage fully in the hard work of bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice.

Developing Materials for Deliberative Forums

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Keiva Hummel

The 36-page guide, Developing Materials for Deliberative Forums, was written by Brad Rourke and published 2014 on the Kettering Foundation site. In the guide, Rourke shares all the elements needed to design an issue guide to better inform participants during deliberation. An issue guide lays out multiple sides of a subject/issue to give participants tools to engage in more informed deliberation, the guide then offers examples of the options, as well as, drawbacks to each one. There is no one perfect way to develop an issue guide; so Rourke provides details on ways to design a guide that is effective at giving participants the information they need to deliberate on the issues at-hand.

Below is an excerpt of the article; it can be downloaded in full at the link on the bottom of this page or find it on Kettering Foundation’s site here.

From the guide…

Deliberation does not require a certain kind of guide, or framework, or language, or facilitator. But, because it can be difficult to face such choices, supporting materials can make it easier. Many community groups, national organizations, and others, including the National Issues Forums (NIF), develop materials meant to help groups deliberate together over difficult public issues. Through its research, the Kettering Foundation has learned about the kinds of materials that can spark this public work. This document explores the important elements involved in going from an initial topic to having a complete issue guide suitable to use in the kinds of deliberative forums that are the hallmark of the NIF.

Deliberative forums are used in different ways, depending on the community and who is involved. Some communities use them to set direction on important local issues. People in other communities may hold forums in order to give citizens the opportunity to think through an important national issue and what they and others might do about it. The results of deliberating together in these ways are sometimes passed on to public officials. Other times public officials personally take part in deliberating with other citizens.

There are many ways to create materials that will support such public deliberation. As long as they are accessible to all kinds of people, allow them to carefully consider options and weigh drawbacks, no one way is necessarily better than another.

Naming and Framing Issues in Public Terms
When issues are named and framed in public terms, we can identify the problem that we need to talk about (naming) and the critical options and drawbacks for deciding what to do about that problem (framing).

When citizens see their concerns reflected in the naming and framing of an issue, they are more likely to participate in making decisions and to see that they themselves have power to affect their future.This goes beyond simply using clear language (this is part of it, but not the only aspect). It means that the problem must be stated in terms that take into account the things that people hold deeply valuable. This is the essence of naming problems in public terms.

A framework that will prompt public deliberation should make clear the options that are available for addressing the problem and the tensions at stake in facing it. It should lay bare what is at issue in readily understandable terms.

Three key questions drive the development of a framework for public deliberation:

– What concerns you about this issue?
– Given those concerns, what would you do about it?
– If that worked to ease your concern, what are the downsides or trade-offs you might then have to accept?

Responses to these questions, together, can generate a framework that makes clear the drawbacks of different people’s favored options. Facing these drawbacks and coming to a sound decision about what to do is the ultimate concern of deliberation.

Issue framing is a practice, not a process or specific technique—akin to playing a musical instrument, knitting, martial arts, or exercising. The best way to learn about these things is by doing them. The more people work at the practice of issue framing, the better they get at identifying core concerns and articulating trade-offs. Like any practice, this develops over time.

In deliberating together, people wrestle with options, face trade-offs, and make decisions about how to act. Sometimes people and organizations in communities convene deliberative forums where people come together to do this work-NIF groups have been doing this for 30 years. An issue framework, or issue guide, is intended to support this. There is no perfect issue framework. Any framework that includes the public’s main concerns fairly represented and that includes the important drawbacks of each option can provide the structure for a group of people to deliberate together about how they will address a shared problem.

A Way to Do It
In developing materials to support public deliberation, writing an issue guide is just the tip of the iceberg. The earlier work that goes into naming and framing the issue—work that requires time and people—is most important. The sections that follow describe one way of naming and framing issues for public deliberation. The aim is to create an issue guide that will be used by many kinds of people in deliberative public forums. It is not the only way to achieve that goal, but it is one that has worked well over time.

Essential Elements
An issue guide should introduce and support deliberation, collectively, among a group whose individual experiences and inclinations may differ.

A well-framed issue guide contains enough factual material and data so that citizens from different circumstances who deliberate together have the knowledge they need to engage productively. However, it doesn’t need to serve as a primer or study guide. Its purpose is not to create experts but rather to illuminate what is at issue—the important conflicts or dilemmas that the issue raises—and allow people to make decisions about how to act together

Regardless of length, issue guides usually contain five elements:

– A title that reflects the major tension inherent in the issue. The title must convey that there is a difficult question or problem that must be faced and can’t be ducked. An excellent title that starkly conveys one problem at the core of the health-care issue might be: “The High Cost of Good Health Care.
– An introduction that explains what the issue is and why something must be done about it. The introduction should make the case that this is an important issue to talk about and should refrain from “arguing” for any of the options.
– Descriptions of each option for dealing with the issue. Each option is an overall strategy that is driven by a unique concern when it comes to the problem. These sections are at their best when they adopt a tone that argues for each specific option—that is, each one should be persuasive and an argument against the others. It should make its own strongest case. These options each have subsections.
– The first subsection includes examples of actions that would correspond to each option, along with who would do them. The actors should be real—and varied—such as government, police, schools, or neighbors. We have found that identifying four or five actions per option helps give people a clear sense of what the option is about and what people can do to work on solutions.
– The second subsection includes examples of the drawbacks or trade-offs inherent in each action. Every action that is presented should have an inherent drawback. Some may find a drawback tolerable, and others may not; however, talking through the consequences of a particular action against what you hold valuable is the crux of deliberation. The key is to make these choices clear.

Many participants will read the guide for the first time during the forum, so presenting data and facts as charts or other easily grasped formats makes it easier to use. In many issue guides, the options are summarized in the form of a grid, which provides the basic framework at a glance.

For more information, download the full guide at the bottom of this page.

About Kettering Foundation
The Kettering Foundation is a nonprofit operating foundation rooted in the American tradition of cooperative research. Kettering’s primary research question is, what does it take to make democracy work as it should? Kettering’s research is distinctive because it is conducted from the perspective of citizens and focuses on what people can do collectively to address problems affecting their lives, their communities, and their nation.

Follow on Twitter: @KetteringFdn

Resource Link: Developing_Materials_for_Deliberative_Forums

Join NCDD Confab Call on the Nevins Fellowship Program on Sept. 21st!

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Roshan Bliss

We encourage our NCDD member organizations to register to join us for a special Confab Call on Wednesday, September 21st from 12-1pm Eastern / 9-10am Pacific that can help your organization build capacity while helping the emerging student leaders of our field gain skills and experience in D&D work!

NCDD is hosting an exciting presentation and discussion with the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, who will be sharing about the incredible opportunity for organizations to host a D&D-trained student fellow at no cost next summer through their Nevins Democracy Leaders Program! You won’t want to miss it!

This is a rare and competitive opportunity for leading organizations in our field, and this Confab Call will be one of the best ways to find out more about how your group can take advantage of this program, so make sure to register today to save your spot on the call!

The Nevins Democracy Leaders Program was founded in 2014 after a gift from David Nevins, an NCDD Sustaining Member. The program provides Penn State students with education and training in transpartisan leadership skills by exposing them to a variety of viewpoints and philosophies, as well as teaching critical thinking along with the tools of dialogue and deliberation.

But the flagship work of fostering the next generation of democracy leaders centers on the yearly initiative to place Nevins Program students in unique fellowship position with organizations focused on D&D, transpartisan dialogue, and civic renewal – that means organizations like yours! Stipends and living expenses are provided to the students through the program so that organizations can bring these bright, motivated students into their work for a summer at no cost to them. It’s an amazing opportunity for everyone involved! You can get a better sense of what the program experience is like by checking out this blog post from a 2016 Nevins Fellow about their summer fellowship with the Close-Up Foundation.

NCDD is proud to have partnered last year with the McCourtney Institute to help identify organizations in the field that can host Nevins fellows, and we’re continuing the partnership this year. This Confab Call is the best way to get your organization plugged into the process, so be sure to register today to learn more about the program and how to apply!

On this Confab, McCourtney’s Senior Scholar John Gastil and Managing Director Christopher Beem will provide an overview of the Nevins program and its aims, discuss the training that the future fellows are going through, and share more about how your organization can take advantage of this great chance to help cultivate the next generation of D&D leaders while getting more support for your work – all for FREE! We can’t wait to talk more with you on the call!

About NCDD’s Confab Calls…

NCDD’s Confab Calls are opportunities for members (and potential members) of NCDD to talk with and hear from innovators in our field about the work they’re doing, and to connect with fellow members around shared interests. Membership in NCDD is encouraged but not required for participation. Register today if you’d like to join us.

What All You Need certainly to Do for A Secure and Hassle Free move in Gurgaon

Posted on September 6, 2016 by vishal111231

Case: What All You Need certainly to Do for A Secure and Hassle Free move in Gurgaon

Sep 5 '16

Author:

vishal

Gurgaon may be the national money area of India and densely populated city. If this is your following destination then you definitely should need a packers and movers in Gurgaon who can help you to provide safe and hassle free relocation. Relocating from position to some other is not easy...

Helping Participants Generate and Evaluate Ideas

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Public Agenda Newsfeed

The Queensland Plan

Posted on September 5, 2016 by lucyj87

Case: The Queensland Plan

Sep 4 '16

Author:

Lucy J Parry

The Queensland Plan is a strategic plan containing a vision for the next 30 years in the north-east state of Australia. The plan was spearheaded by the then Premier of Queensland Campbell Newman, and involved an extensive 18-month consultation and drafting process that sought to incorporate the voices of Queenslanders.

Civic Studies

An intellectual community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to building the emerging field of civic studies

Monthly Archives: September 2016