The American Democracy Project is a multi-campus initiative that seeks to create an intellectual and experiential understanding of civic engagement in the United States in the 21st century. The project targets undergraduates enrolled at institutions that are members of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The project grows out of a concern about decreasing rates of participation in the civic life of America in voting, in advocacy, in local grassroots associations, and in other forms of civic engagement that are necessary for the vitality of our democracy.
The role of institutions of higher education is to instill a sense of agency, efficacy, and capacity in students. Citizenship inherently involves skills that can be fostered in institutions of higher education including the ability to articulate one's preferences in speaking and writing, to organize, and to be able find common ground when differences of opinion occur.
The role of institutions of higher education is to instill a sense of agency, efficacy, and capacity in students. Citizenship inherently involves skills that can be fostered in institutions of higher education including the ability to articulate one's preferences in speaking and writing, to organize, and to be able find common ground when differences of opinion occur.