Civic
Engagement
The American Democracy Project (ADP),
Carnegie, and Other Resources
(& Considering a physical
space to serve as a 'Center')
WCU and Beyond. It
is encouraging to see the stars
of civic engagement in such close alignment—the stars in this case
being the UNC Tomorrow
document, our probable application to Carnegie for the ‘Community
Engagement’ classification, our commitment to the ADP, and the goals of
our QEP.
Perhaps we could consider
dedicating a
small but special section of Hunter
Library to the goals of our QEP--in a prominent
location.
Magazines, journals, and books related to civic engagement could
be
located there (and all relevant applied research and projects with a
local
emphasis). Items related to our
institutional involvement with the American Democracy Project could be
shelved
there. Items related to social,
cultural, and political life in
WCU Hunter Library does
offer this
link:
And WCU American
Democracy Website
http://www.wcu.edu/5463.asp
Here is an idea from
Beyond just a physical
space, here is an example of a civic
engagement center from the
http://depts.washington.edu/ccce/Home.htm
See also:
http://civic.mit.edu/?page_id=36
http://www.media.mit.edu/research/2291
Civic Life Online:
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/browse/browse.asp?btype=6&serid=170
For
additional resources, see:
Government
National and Community Service
Non-Government
Carnegie
Foundation, Political Engagement Project (PEP)
Carolina
Center for Public Service (UNC-CH)
(Additional
examples of engagement from UNCCH)
Center for Information and
Research on Civic Learning and Engagement
The word
“civic” is
mentioned only three times
in the WCU QEP document, but I doubt if anyone would or could argue
that
civic
engagement is not a fundamental aspect of that plan.
Concepts like integrative learning, synthesis,
pathway to intentional learning, service learning, leadership
education, and
co-curricular integration are all rich with civic implication. Institutionally we are committed to being a 'Steward of Place
-- and the word “engagement” is
mentioned 22 times in our QEP. So perhaps
a
prominent, centralized place in the library might
serve to further our goals. In any event, a few relevant book
titles are listed below.
Educating
for Democracy: Preparing Undergraduates for Responsible Political
Engagement (JB-Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)
by Anne Colby, Elizabeth Beaumont, Thomas Ehrlich, and Josh Corngold
(Hardcover - Nov 16, 2007)
Why Community
Matters: Connecting Education With Civic Life - Nicholas V.
Longo
Hearing the
Other Side: Deliberative versus Participatory Democracy
-
Diana C.
Mutz
A New
Engagement?: Political Participation, Civic Life, and the Changing
American
Citizen - Cliff Zukin
Why We Vote:
How Schools and Communities Shape Our Civic Life (Princeton Studies in
American
Politics) - David E. Campbell
The Future of
Democracy: Developing the Next Generation of American Citizens (Civil
Society:
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives) - Peter Levine
A Larger Sense
of Purpose: Higher Education and Society (The 2003 Clark Kerr Lectures)
-
Harold T. Shapiro
Quick Hits for
Educating Citizens - Thomas Ehrlich
Is Voting for
Young People? With a Postscript on Citizen Engagement (Great Questions
in
Politics Series) (2nd Edition) (Great Questions in Politics)
-
Martin
P. Wattenberg
R. J. Dalton