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AUG 2020

Revitalizing Democracy During COVID-19 and Beyond

Three members of the Academy's Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship - Antonia Hernandez, Wallace Jefferson, and Eric Liu - joined the AMA Journal of Ethics for a discussion on how to revitalize democracy during the pandemic and beyond.
Source:
AMA Journal of Ethics
Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
Bulletin
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Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century

On June 11, 2020, the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship celebrated the release of its final report: Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century. Nearly 1,200 people viewed the launch event, which featured Commission Chairs Danielle Allen (Harvard University), Stephen Heintz (Rockefeller Brothers Fund), and Eric Liu (Citizen University); Academy President David Oxtoby; as well as Commission members Judy Woodruff (PBS NewsHour) and David Brooks (The New York Times).
In the News
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Our Towns: Three Guides to the Next America

Academy member James Fallows includes Our Common Purpose as one of three developments that shed light on how the parts of America that still work can be applied to the parts that need help most.
Source:
The Atlantic
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Commentary: Fixing Democracy

Dee Davis, president of the Center for Rural Strategies, writes about what democracy looks like in rural America - “a mess” - and how to fix it with ideas from the report he worked on as a member of the Academy's project on American democracy.
Source:
Daily Yonder
In the News
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WRONG WAY?

Residents of Alabama are asked “Is America headed in the right or wrong direction?” and reporter Tim Lockette wonders if the Academy’s recommendations for reinventing democracy could be a way forward.
Source:
Anniston Star (Alabama)
In the News
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Tech companies are finally being shamed into action

Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin writes about increasing concern about online platforms that allow hate speech and engender extremism. She notes that corporate boycotts are a sign of dissatisfaction and points to the Academy's work for meaningful solutions.
Source:
The Washington Post
In the News
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For Philanthropy to Achieve Its Goals, Democracy Must Work

Stephen Heintz, Cochair of the Academy's Commission on Democratic Citizenship, calls for greater philanthropic support for work that strengthens democracy in American democracy. He makes the case that a healthy, functional government advances every other investment.
Source:
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
In the News
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Why Coronavirus Is an ‘Existential Crisis’ for American Democracy

The coronavirus pandemic is nothing less than an “existential crisis” that will reshape American society, says Danielle Allen, cochair of Academy Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship. What needs to happen for America’s civic life to be reborn?
Source:
Politico
In the News
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Rebuilding Trust in American Democracy

Danielle Allen featured on BYU Radio about what she learned cochairing the Academy's bipartisan Commission on democratic citizenship and how recommended reforms can help Americans increase trust in one another and their institutions.
Source:
BYU Radio
In the News
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NPR On Point: Reimagining Democracy for the 21st Century

In this interview with Danielle Allen, NPR's On Point focuses on the Academy's new bipartisan recommendations for reimagining American democracy for the 21st century: What are the signs democracy needs fixing? How participatory was the process? Who was consulted in the process? Where do we go from here?
Source:
On Point, National Public Radio
In the News
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Etats-Unis : du « besoin urgent » de réinvention

A United States correspondent for Le Monde provides readers in France with some context for the Academy's proposals for reinventing American democracy and finds Our Common Purpose noteworthy.
Source:
Le Monde
In the News
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Democracy, Citizenship, and Community

To kick off the new "Democracy, Citizenship and Community" series of VISION, host Sam Gill spoke with Stephen Heintz and Antonia Hernandez, all members of the Academy's Commission on the practice of Democratic Citizenship.
Source:
VISION | Knight Foundation
In the News
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The Work of Democracy Starts Right Here

Bert Emerson, a participant in a listening session in Spokane, wrote a guest column about the nation's greatest challenges and what gives him hope that Americans have the will to fix our democracy.
Source:
The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
In the News
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We seek reforms to policing. But something even deeper needs repair.

Danielle Allen, who cochairs the Academy's bipartisan Commission on democratic citizenship, writes "We need a new social compact." In this column, she writes about why it's time and what it might include - with examples drawn from the Commission's report Our Common Purpose.
Source:
The Washington Post
In the News
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Amid inequality and polarization, how can we strengthen American democracy?

PBS NewsHour reports on the Academy's bipartisan commission on the state of American democracy and its report detailing 31 recommendations for how to strengthen it. Judy Woodruff introduces the report and discusses it with Danielle Allen and Stephen Heintz.
Source:
PBS NewsHour
In the News
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America’s neck is broken. We can survive, but we have to act.

Watching "peaceful protests sweep across the land even amidst a plague" causes Eric Liu, cochair of the Academy's Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, to note the strength of spirit and movement he sees even when the nation's neck is broken.
Source:
The Washington Post
Bulletin
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21st Century Democracy in Practice

In early February, the Academy welcomed Americans from around the nation for a day-long convening on the practice of democratic citizenship. The event was a culmination of the extensive grassroots outreach and listening sessions that have been a hallmark of the work of the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship.
Academy Article
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Civic Engagement During COVID-19: How Commission Members are Making a Difference

For the past two years, members of the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship have engaged in research, round tables, and discussions about strengthening American democracy in the 21st century. Now, as the impact of COVID-19 surges through every aspect of American society, Commission members are applying their expertise in public policy and civic and political engagement to meet and understand critical challenges at the local and national levels.
In the News
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Get the Government You Want By Getting Involved

Luis Farias, a participant at the American Academy's Convening on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, reflects on the discussions there and how they can be applied to the Latino community in the U.S.
Source:
‘Llero
In the News
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What Makes a True Patriot

"True patriotism doesn't require that we all join the military," says Eric Liu, cochair of Academy Commission on Democratic Citizenship. "It does require us all to show up more, contribute more, participate more, be more useful to more people."
Source:
CBS News
Bulletin
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How to Make Citizens

Eric Liu, cochair of the Academy's Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, speaks about how to prepare citizens in a democracy.
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Video of the Launch Event
The online launch featured an introduction from Academy President David Oxtoby, a conversation with Cochairs Danielle Allen, Stephen Heintz, and Eric Liu moderated by Judy Woodruff, and remarks from David Brooks.
Watch the launch event

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