Author: ljleastin

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Civics 101

Civics education in the U.S. begins in Elementary Schools throughout the entire country. The U.S. is not alone in this endeavor though, most democratic countries worldwide provide some sort of formal civics education for the next generation of citizens. An engaged populous is vital to the health of every nation, but in the U.S., civic knowledge and civic engagement are essential ingredients to progress.

Allow me to begin by defining these two terms as I see them. Civic knowledge, at its root, is the understanding of how to effectively participate in a democracy. This requisite knowledge includes the structure and history of government, the actors and forces that shape decision-making, and the rights and responsibilities of each citizen.

Next we have civic engagement. Simply stated, civic engagement occurs when individuals and groups work to improve the quality of life for the community. The number of ways to be civically engaged are countless, but a few examples include:

• Voting
• Campaigning
• Advocacy
• Volunteerism
• Lobbying
• Protesting
• Fundraising
• Community Organizing

Throughout U.S. history, these two crucial aspects of civic responsibility have been central to every impactful social movement that brought about meaningful change. Whether we consider the Women’s Suffrage Movement of the 19th and 20th centuries or the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, civic knowledge and civic engagement were the vehicles used to make things happen—to bring about positive change.

Principles of Civic Engagement

In order for civic engagement to create effective, meaningful, and positive change, there are several key principles that should be followed closely:

1. Be Informed – This principle focuses on the aforementioned term civic knowledge. Understanding the issues, policies, and stakeholders involved is a crucial first step in the process.
2. Engage Respectfully – Open and inclusive dialogue with all sides of an issue is vital. All viewpoints should have a place at the table and the individual expressing the opinion should be respected.
3. Goal Setting – Without a defined goal or objective, success can never be achieved. Both short-term and long-term measurable goals should be set in order to better track progress.
4. Take Action – This principle focuses on establishing necessary relationships with organizations and leaders to help strengthen your coalition. Attend meetings, hearings, engage others, and volunteer for initiatives that focus on your cause.
5. Stay Persistent – Change takes time. Do not become discouraged due to setbacks as they are bound to occur. Always be willing to adjust your strategy along the way if obstacles get in the way of progress.

All five of these best practices are important, but arguably most important is respectful engagement and open dialogue. This principle promotes a process that is inclusive of all individuals and opinions. Policy decisions are too often made by a small group of people who may not fully understand their potential negative impacts.

National Engagement

In February of 2024, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation completed a study that found an estimated 70% of Americans failed a basic civic literacy quiz. This lack of civic literacy knows no bounds and affects everyone, regardless of gender, race, ideology, or religious beliefs, highlighting that this issue is widespread and cuts across all segments of society.

Simultaneously, the last two presidential election cycles saw the highest voter participation in a presidential election year since the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy. In 2020, 66.6% of the American population cast their votes, followed by 63.9% in 2024. Despite this significant rise in federal election participation, civic literacy has not experienced a corresponding increase.

While more people are voting, the quality of civic engagement—founded on knowledge of the systems, policies, and history—appears to be lacking, which could ultimately affect the overall quality of our shared community.

Many would argue that the current political polarization has increased government participation on the federal level to a degree that has not been witnessed in decades. While that may be the case, my question in return would be, at what cost?

I am much more interested in civic engagement that serves a constructive purpose rather than a destructive one. Civic engagement should include consensus-building and mutual support, not vitriol over ideological differences. Unfortunately, deep political polarization is seeping into every aspect of life and with detrimental consequences. This status quo of social and political engagement is not fit for purpose.

Increasing the amount and quality of civic engagement is a worthwhile objective. However, this engagement must follow the key principles and practices noted previously. When civic engagement occurs without an adherence to these principles, it can result in the chaos we have witnessed over the past two decades.

“Top-Down” Governance

Since Generation Y, a.k.a. the millennial generation, came of age and became socially and politically engaged, the U.S. governing structure has arguably become more centralized, with citizens increasingly looking to the federal government for change rather than relying on grassroots movements.

This is not to suggest that local and state mobilization lacks influence on national discourse; rather, citizens increasingly tend to look to the federal government for broad policy solutions to contemporary social and political issues.

Candidates for political positions, as well as elected officials, are not helping to reverse this trend. They rarely discuss how you can create positive change in your neighborhood or community; instead, they focus on what they will personally do to improve the current state of affairs.

I would suggest that there is more effective way to create positive change than looking to state and federal government for policy solutions. It begins at the local level.

Local Engagement

“Bottom-Up” Governance

When a problem exists in any community, rather than immediately assigning responsibility for the problem on some external factor such as state or federal policymakers, examine the opportunities that exist for you and your neighbors to help solve the problem. While not all issues are completely solvable at the local level, community civic engagement is the place where the problem-solving journey should begin.

Utilizing the principles of civic engagement, communities across the country have found local solutions to problems that initially seemed insurmountable.

1. Food Insecurity – Lack of access to food is much more prevalent in American communities than many would like to admit. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 76 counties nationwide that do not have a grocery store. One locally sourced solution to this issue is a food cooperative—a grocery store owned by the consumers who shop there. This model allows the store to focus directly on meeting community needs.
2. Affordable Housing – A relatively common issue in predominantly rural communities is the lack of available housing units. Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are nonprofit organizations that are community-owned, and permanently hold land for housing development. CLT land ownership keeps the property out of the speculative real-estate market, maintaining long-term affordability.
3. Child Care – In the U.S. many households have two parents who work full-time, which raises the question; who cares for the children, especially during the summer months? Employers across many industries, including tech, manufacturing, and healthcare, provide on-site child care or backup dependent care for employees. Employers that provide child care for employees may be eligible for an IRS tax credit to offset the costs of child care services.

These are just three examples from a long list of ways in which major issues can and have been addressed locally. Not all local problems will be as challenging as these, but do not underestimate the power that you and your neighbors can have on you community.

Summary

In sum, localized civic engagement can and should play a critical role in community development growth and problem solution. With that said, it is essential to understand and adhere to the principles of civic engagement. As noted throughout this post, engagement that lacks the necessary knowledge, planning, inclusivity, and—more often than not—patience, is unlikely to lead to positive change.

It is important to say that State and Federal programs and policy can go a long way to help solve local issues. However, localized solutions fosters strong institutions, builds community trust, and lays the groundwork for future economic and community development.

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