All over the world, there are signs of increased civic engagement that is taking new and more diverse forms, including online activity. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) regularly surveys its member nations about forms of civic engagement, including voter turnout, which was about 69% between 2016-19.[1]
In a recent essay, DAUS Clinical Associate Professor, Lisa DiCaprio, stresses the need for civic engagement in the United States and looks at the Educating for American Democracy (EAD) initiative which seeks to revitalize civics education in the K-12 curriculum. EAD is an effort to create a Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy—a framework that states, local school districts, and educators can use to transform teaching of history and civics to meet the needs of a diverse 21st-Century K–12 student body.
In her article, Professor DiCaprio discusses seven ways that we can promote civics and voter education and protect the right to vote. She concludes with a quote from Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in support of the For the People Act of 2021, a voter protection bill that was passed in the House and is now in the Senate. The article also provides a variety of resources, including websites and videos, for those who are interested in exploring this topic in greater detail.
[1] Civic Engagement reference on OECD iLibrary
Lisa DiCaprio, PhD, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Social Sciences and the Associate Director of Curriculum. Professor DiCaprio teaches two courses that she developed, Green Design and the Future of Organizations and NYC: The Future Metropolis. She also serves as the Conservation Chair of the Sierra Club NYC Group.