- Deliberative Democracy, Political Philosophy, Deliberative Democracy and Conflict, Education, Community Organizing, Community Engagement & Participation, and 37 moreCommunity Development, Community Based Education, Public Deliberation, Moral emotions, Philosophy of Emotion, Emotions And Political Theory, Sociology of Expertise, History of higher education, Expertise, Professions and expertise, Intellectual History, Agricultural History, 20th century (History), Public Administration, Practical Rationality, Democracy and Citizenship Education, Judgment and decision making, Accountability, Thomas Merton, Civil Society, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Environmental Sustainability, Ethics & Social Sustainability, Narrative Inquiry, Civic Studies, Mississippi Freedom Summer, Civil Rights Movement, Political communication, Communication, Public Policy, Deliberative Pedagogy, City Management, Public Administration and Policy, Governance, Development Studies, Public Policy and Administration, and Public Policy & Administrationedit
- Timothy J. Shaffer is a scholar and practitioner of deliberative democracy, civic education, and small group communic... moreTimothy J. Shaffer is a scholar and practitioner of deliberative democracy, civic education, and small group communication with a focus on the role of civic professionals in institutional settings such as higher education, NGOs, and government. He routinely presents at conferences and offers workshops exploring themes of civic engagement, civil discourse, and deliberative dialogue. He received the Early Career Recognition Award from the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement in acknowledgement of his research.edit
Research Interests:
The widening cracks in the foundations of American democracy are leading to appeals for higher educational institutions generally, and public affairs programs specifically, to offer more courses on civil discourse. In this paper, we... more
The widening cracks in the foundations of American democracy are leading to appeals for higher educational institutions generally, and public affairs programs specifically, to offer more courses on civil discourse. In this paper, we conduct a curriculum scan to evaluate the extent to which public affairs programs have answered these calls at the undergraduate level. The findings indicate that civil discoursethemed courses are essentially absent in the largest undergraduate public affairs programs, leaving the calls woefully unanswered. Then, analyzing students' pre-post survey responses from a new course that offered content on the intersection of civil discourse and public policy making, we find that a civil discourse-themed course can simultaneously answer the calls and ensure that students meet the objectives of baccalaureate public affairs education recommended by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The results are encouraging for public affairs education and democratic governance alike.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
What is the relationship between government officials and broader publics when it comes to public engagement? What does it look like for public administrators to not only share important public information with citizens, but also to... more
What is the relationship between government officials and broader publics when it comes to public engagement? What does it look like for public administrators to not only share important public information with citizens, but also to engage them through decision-making processes through democratic processes? What, fundamentally, is the role of government if we take seriously the idea of relations as a central tenet of governance? This chapter focuses on government agencies that are increasingly using more participatory and collaborative public engagement approaches and strategies, helping to create conditions for greater transparency and accountability and meaningful engagement. It explores the idea of public administration through the concept of “democratic professionals” and the idea of what David Mathews of the Kettering Foundation calls democratic strategy of governance with citizens. However, not all attempts to democratize decision-making through collaborative and participatory process have embodied the ideas set forth by many champions of collaborative governance. For this reason, there needs to be considerable intentionality about how public administrators create processes and engage citizens to ensure public engagement is more than a popular phrase attached to experiences that do little to engage people around common problems. A challenge is that many in public administration have not been trained in robust public engagement models that move beyond technocratic approaches to complex problems.
Research Interests: Public Administration, Communication, Government, Community Engagement & Participation, Community Development, and 9 morePublic Relations, Governance, Dialogue, Deliberative Democracy, Community Participation, Public Engagement, Democracy and Good Governance, Local governance, and Civic Professionalism
Research Interests:
This essay offers a response to the special issue essays. It emphasizes that town meetings are a site for governance and have implications for contemporary deliberative practices.
Research Interests:
The field of community development is challenged in the current political culture where polarization and incivility impact democratic ideals and practices. The role of the community development practitioner in such an environment is to... more
The field of community development is challenged in the current political culture where polarization and incivility impact democratic ideals and practices. The role of the community development practitioner in such an environment is to approach one’s work as a civic professional, using technical expertise in public-regarding ways to cultivate opportunities for discussion across lines of difference. Foundational and functional competencies for community development include many important characteristics, but they do not include explicit language addressing political polarization. The article suggests looking to educational and professional development programs in the field of dialogue and deliberation as a way to further develop and refine these competencies.
Research Interests:
This article focuses on the use of radio broadcasts as resources for those organizing and convening face-to-face discussion groups in rural communities across the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Led by the United States Department... more
This article focuses on the use of radio broadcasts as resources for those organizing and convening face-to-face discussion groups in rural communities across the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Led by the United States Department of Agriculture, small group discussions took place with leadership coming from Cooperative Extension agents from land-grant universities. As public affairs shows were being carried on the major commercial radio channels, the USDA discussion project utilized radio broadcasts to introduce people to the methods of conducting group discussions. The article focuses on the national efforts of the USDA as well as localized attempts to utilize radio broadcasts in the service of democratic discussion, focusing on one of the most robust examples of a land-grant university—the University of Wisconsin-Madison—utilizing technology for democratic discussion in rural communities across the state. It notes shortcomings and challenges, as well as identifying the critical role that radio played in helping citizens and communities begin to think about complex public problems through the use of new technologies.
Research Interests: Information Technology, Education, Technology, Educational Technology, Higher Education, and 15 moreCommunity Development, Civic Education, Radio, Information Communication Technology, Agriculture, New Deal (U.S. history), Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Agricultural extension, Civic Engagement, Agricultural & Extension Education, Community Radio, Wisconsin History, Land-Grant Universities, Teaching and Learning In Adult and Higher Education, and Science and Technology Studies
Research Interests: Public Administration, Adult Education, Higher Education, Rural History, Civic Education, and 12 moreDialogue, Public Deliberation, Rural Development, Deliberative Democracy, Democracy, Civic Engagement, Cooperative Learning, Civic Professionalism, Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant Universities, Discussion Methods, and Deliberative Democracy and Conflict
For the last five years, we have had the honor of serving as editors of the Journal of Public Deliberation. This issue marks the end of our editorial tenure, and we take this opportunity to both look back and think ahead. In this brief... more
For the last five years, we have had the honor of serving as editors of the Journal of Public Deliberation. This issue marks the end of our editorial tenure, and we take this opportunity to both look back and think ahead. In this brief essay, we reflect on what we’ve seen during our time as editors. We begin by describing three important special issues that reflect the state of our field, then provide some details about how we have facilitated JPD’s growth over the past five years, including publication statistics and article download rates. We conclude by discussing where the journal is now and what we anticipate for its future.
Research Interests:
This article focuses on the theoretical and conceptual issues that reside at the intersection of deliberation and action. Looking at the Antigonish Movement and the USDA's farmer discussion groups and schools of philosophy in the 1930s... more
This article focuses on the theoretical and conceptual issues that reside at the intersection of deliberation and action. Looking at the Antigonish Movement and the USDA's farmer discussion groups and schools of philosophy in the 1930s and 1940s, the article identifies salient points about the ways in which institutional leaders developed programs that attended to concerns about the role of facts, values, and strategies by embedding deliberative talk within collaborative efforts through education and community development initiatives.
Research Interests: Adult Education, Community Engagement & Participation, Civic Education, Public Deliberation, Deliberative Democracy, and 9 moreDemocracy, Participatory Democracy, Cooperatives, Institutions (Political Science), Civic Engagement, Cooperative Learning, Participatory Decision Making, Democracy and Citizenship Education, and Civic Studies
Shaffer, T. J. (2019). Education Through a Deliberative Democratic Lens. In Y. Pylynskyi & O. Kopylenko (Eds.), Decentralisation. Deliberation. Democracy. Our Power in Diversity (Vol. 1, pp. 36-55). Kyiv, Ukrain: Legislation Institute of... more
Shaffer, T. J. (2019). Education Through a Deliberative Democratic Lens. In Y. Pylynskyi & O. Kopylenko (Eds.), Decentralisation. Deliberation. Democracy. Our Power in Diversity (Vol. 1, pp. 36-55). Kyiv, Ukrain: Legislation Institute of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Cooperative Extension has a rich history of providing researchbased knowledge and functioning as a catalyst for change through community engagement. It is via this second dimension of its identity that Extension has long played a role in... more
Cooperative Extension has a rich history of providing researchbased knowledge and functioning as a catalyst for change through community engagement. It is via this second dimension of its identity that Extension has long played a role in creating space for public issues to be understood through deliberative discussion. Rather than view the use of deliberation and discussion as only a recent development in Extension's approach to engaging citizens about public issues, I highlight efforts and challenges related to Extension's experiment with deliberation and discussion in the 1930s and 1940s and use this historic perspective to identify important implications for Extension today.
Research Interests: Communication, Adult Education, Lifelong Learning, Community Engagement & Participation, Community Development, and 20 moreAdult Continuing and Professional Education, Deliberative Democracy, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, Group Dynamics, Group communication, Professional Development, Adult and Continuing Education, Agricultural extension, Agricultural & Extension Education, Community engagement, Adult Educators, Civic Professionalism, Lifelong learning and adult education, University-Community Engagement, Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant College Historiography, Land-Grant Universities, Discussion Methods, Deliberative Democracy and Conflict, and Land-Grant University Extension
Presently, ideas about food are in flux from a variety of sources. Examples of this evolution include recognizing the importance of food on health by public health and medical professionals; changing consumer desires around the production... more
Presently, ideas about food are in flux from a variety of sources. Examples of this evolution include recognizing the importance of food on health by public health and medical professionals; changing consumer desires around the production methods and components of their food; a greater focus on injustices within the national food system; evolving knowledge of how the food system impacts the environment; and, shifting economic and technological realities that underpin where and how food is produced, distributed and sold. These shifting ideas about food exist in contrast to the narrative of the highly functioning, industrialized, global food system that emerged in the second half of the 20th century. This edited volume fills a void by presenting a comprehensive and engaging coverage of the key issues at the intersection of public health, policy, and food. The Intersection of Food and Public Health is comprised of research that examines current problems in food studies and how various stakeholders are attempting to address problems in unique ways.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Higher Education, Sociology of Knowledge, Community Engagement & Participation, Politics, Social Justice, and 9 morePedagogy, Deliberative Democracy, Social Justice in Education, Sociology of Professions, Professional Development, Equity and Social Justice in Higher Education, Civic Engagement, Knowledge, and Deliberative Pedagogy
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article explores how deliberative democracy has the ability to change how colleges and universities function. Deliberation offers a powerful way for students, faculty, staff, and community partners to learn and practice modes of... more
This article explores how deliberative democracy has the ability to change how colleges and universities function. Deliberation offers a powerful way for students, faculty, staff, and community partners to learn and practice modes of reasoning and deciding together in a variety of settings such as classrooms, other campus settings, and in communities. The article includes scholarly resources as well as examples of deliberation in various contexts. The article suggests that deliberation can replace, or at least complement, many of the more familiar models pervasive in our institutions.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
I40 NEW PUBLIC SCHOlARS spaces where knowledge is created in meaningful, connected, innovative, and disruptive ways. It has been 25 years since Ernest Boyer (1990) penned Scholarship Reconsidered , yet very few institutions have made the... more
I40 NEW PUBLIC SCHOlARS spaces where knowledge is created in meaningful, connected, innovative, and disruptive ways. It has been 25 years since Ernest Boyer (1990) penned Scholarship Reconsidered , yet very few institutions have made the changes he called for in his provocative book. We propose that the tectonic plates are shifting so that as emerging sch.olars like us enter the academy, the question will not be if institutions change, but rather how and how fast? We welcome the opportunity to share our stories, as we believe public narratives are potentially the most powerful way to reclaim and broadcast the civic lives of the next generation of publicly engaged sch.olars. And through the sharing of our narratives, we wish to pave a path that leads to institutional transformarion, rather than passively assimilate into the prevailing ways of being, knowing, teaching, and creating within the academy. Notes 1. From the time we first wrote our narratives, some of us have moved from being a student to being a professional in the academy. For example, Cecilia is now a tenure-track faculty member at the University of Denver, and Adam is the provost of a new college. Our "new" roles do not detract from the developmental perspective we offer to the collective narrative of the next generation of community-engaged
Research Interests:
The author argues that university faculty can create courses that explore deliberative democracy theory and practice while also making the structure of the course deliberative and participatory for undergraduate students. Challenging... more
The author argues that university faculty can create courses that explore deliberative democracy theory and practice while also making the structure of the course deliberative and participatory for undergraduate students. Challenging norms within higher education requires thinking differently about one’s pedagogical approach and to connect courses with wider public issues.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Concerns over neutrality challenge educators and practitioners alike. In public life, the question is how to balance the commitment to a politically neutral process with the desire to achieve more equitable outcomes. In the classroom, the... more
Concerns over neutrality challenge educators and practitioners alike. In public life, the question is how to balance the commitment to a politically neutral process with the desire to achieve more equitable outcomes. In the classroom, the question is how to present all perspectives on an issue yet take a definitive stance in an effort to educate for democracy. What are the politics of neutrality, on campus and in public life.
Research Interests: Peace and Conflict Studies, Community Engagement & Participation, Conflict, Dialogue, Politics, and 10 moreSocial Justice, Public Deliberation, Deliberative Democracy, Social Justice in Education, Democracy, Equity and Social Justice in Higher Education, Civic Engagement, Neutrality, Community participation and engagement, and Participatory and Deliberative Democracy
Members of a younger generation of practitioner-scholars have now experienced SLCE in undergraduate or graduate education and seek ways to integrate it into their professional lives. [Their] stories suggest to us the importance of... more
Members of a younger generation of practitioner-scholars have now experienced SLCE in undergraduate or graduate education and seek ways to integrate it into their professional lives. [Their] stories suggest to us the importance of supporting the ongoing development of the SLCE movement through more explicit, direct, formalized, and institutionalized points of entry into the work. In this essay we call for increased attention to the potential for graduate education to serve as a doorway into to SLCE, and we suggest the importance of designing it with an eye to its key role in shaping how incoming SLCE practitioner-scholars understand and undertake the work (e.g., with a deficit-based or an asset-based orientation rather than a deficit-based one or, as an integrated part of their lives rather than or an add-on to their other responsibilities).
We share here an example of a front door we have been building to illustrate an approach to doctoral education that could support the holistic development of SLCE practitioner-scholars: a new doctoral program centered on community-engaged scholarship at Kansas State University. This is just one example of what we think a front door could look like for graduate students. The important thing is that we find ways to cultivate interest in and access to community-engaged work instead of letting passionate people get lost or discouraged along the way.
Beyond the need for such points of entry, per se, we have a lot of work to do to transform institutions of higher education so that they better support the work of SLCE (on the other side of the door, as it were) and better organize to address complex issues in our world (for many, the reason for looking for a doorway to begin with). We believe all of these goals can be advanced through the design of graduate level fronts doors.
We share here an example of a front door we have been building to illustrate an approach to doctoral education that could support the holistic development of SLCE practitioner-scholars: a new doctoral program centered on community-engaged scholarship at Kansas State University. This is just one example of what we think a front door could look like for graduate students. The important thing is that we find ways to cultivate interest in and access to community-engaged work instead of letting passionate people get lost or discouraged along the way.
Beyond the need for such points of entry, per se, we have a lot of work to do to transform institutions of higher education so that they better support the work of SLCE (on the other side of the door, as it were) and better organize to address complex issues in our world (for many, the reason for looking for a doorway to begin with). We believe all of these goals can be advanced through the design of graduate level fronts doors.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This "Afterword" essay was written several months after the Frontiers of Democracy 2014 conference. It offers the Journal of Public Deliberation's editors' reflections on the conference and connections to the articles published in this... more
This "Afterword" essay was written several months after the Frontiers of Democracy 2014 conference. It offers the Journal of Public Deliberation's editors' reflections on the conference and connections to the articles published in this special issue.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Open Alternative Textbook Initiative book focusing on small group communication and related themes.
Research Interests: Communication, Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict, Dialogue, Small group Processes, and 10 moreGroup Processes & Intergroup Relations, Dialogue Studies, Conflict Resolution, Group communication, Conflict Management, Group Processes, Communication Skills, Peer and Group learning, Small Group/ Team Communication, and Group work
We live in divisive and polarizing times, often remaining in comfortable social bubbles and experiencing few genuine interactions with people who are different or with whom we disagree. Stepping out and turning to one another is difficult... more
We live in divisive and polarizing times, often remaining in comfortable social bubbles and experiencing few genuine interactions with people who are different or with whom we disagree. Stepping out and turning to one another is difficult but necessary. For our democracy to thrive at a time when we face wicked problems that involve tough trade-offs it is vital that all citizens participate fully in the process. We need to learn to listen, think, and act with others to solve public problems. This collaborative task begins with creating space for democracy. This book provides a guide for doing so on campus through deliberation and dialogue.
At the most basic level, this book describes collaborative and relational work to engage with others and co-create meaning. Specifically, dialogue and deliberation are processes in which a diverse group of people moves toward making a collective decision on a difficult public issue.
This primer offers a blueprint for achieving the civic mission of higher education by incorporating dialogue and deliberation into learning at colleges and universities. It opens by providing a conceptual framework, with leading voices in the dialogue and deliberation field providing insights on issues pertinent to college campuses, from free speech and academic freedom to neutrality and the role of deliberation in civic engagement. Subsequent sections describe a diverse range of methods and approaches used by several organizations that pioneered and sustained deliberative practices; outline some of the many ways in which educators and institutions are using dialogue and deliberation in curricular, co-curricular, and community spaces, including venues such as student centers, academic libraries, and residence halls. All of the chapters, including a Resource Section, provide readers with a starting point for conceptualizing and implementing their own deliberation and dialogue initiatives.
This book, intended for all educators who are concerned about democracy, imparts the power and impact of public talk, offers the insights and experiences of leading practitioners, and provides the grounding to adopt or adapt the models in their own settings to create educative spaces and experiences that are humanizing, authentic, and productive. It is an important resource for campus leaders, student affairs practitioners, librarians, and centers of institutional diversity, community engagement, teaching excellence and service-learning, as well as faculty, particularly those in the fields of communication studies, education, and political science.
At the most basic level, this book describes collaborative and relational work to engage with others and co-create meaning. Specifically, dialogue and deliberation are processes in which a diverse group of people moves toward making a collective decision on a difficult public issue.
This primer offers a blueprint for achieving the civic mission of higher education by incorporating dialogue and deliberation into learning at colleges and universities. It opens by providing a conceptual framework, with leading voices in the dialogue and deliberation field providing insights on issues pertinent to college campuses, from free speech and academic freedom to neutrality and the role of deliberation in civic engagement. Subsequent sections describe a diverse range of methods and approaches used by several organizations that pioneered and sustained deliberative practices; outline some of the many ways in which educators and institutions are using dialogue and deliberation in curricular, co-curricular, and community spaces, including venues such as student centers, academic libraries, and residence halls. All of the chapters, including a Resource Section, provide readers with a starting point for conceptualizing and implementing their own deliberation and dialogue initiatives.
This book, intended for all educators who are concerned about democracy, imparts the power and impact of public talk, offers the insights and experiences of leading practitioners, and provides the grounding to adopt or adapt the models in their own settings to create educative spaces and experiences that are humanizing, authentic, and productive. It is an important resource for campus leaders, student affairs practitioners, librarians, and centers of institutional diversity, community engagement, teaching excellence and service-learning, as well as faculty, particularly those in the fields of communication studies, education, and political science.
Research Interests: Teaching and Learning, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Higher Education, Focus Group discussions, Learning and Teaching, and 9 moreDialogue, Public Deliberation, Deliberative Democracy, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Intercultural dialogue, Teaching, Teaching and Learning In Adult and Higher Education, and Deliberative Pedagogy
The state of political discourse in the United States today has been a subject of concern for many Americans. Political incivility is not merely a problem for political elites; political conversations between American citizens have also... more
The state of political discourse in the United States today has been a subject of concern for many Americans. Political incivility is not merely a problem for political elites; political conversations between American citizens have also become more difficult and tense. The 2016 presidential elections featured campaign rhetoric designed to inflame the general public. Yet the 2016 election was certainly not the only cause of incivility among citizens. There have been many instances in recent years where reasoned discourse in our universities and other public venues has been threatened.
This book was undertaken as a response to these problems. It presents and develops a more robust discussion of what civility is, why it matters, what factors might contribute to it, and what its consequences are for democratic life. The authors included here pursue three major questions: Is the state of American political discourse today really that bad, compared to prior eras; what lessons about civility can we draw from the 2016 election; and how have changes in technology such as the development of online news and other means of mediated communication changed the nature of our discourse?
This book seeks to develop a coherent, civil conversation between divergent contemporary perspectives in political science, communications, history, sociology, and philosophy. This multidisciplinary approach helps to reflect on challenges to civil discourse, define civility, and identify its consequences for democratic life in a digital age. In this accessible text, an all-star cast of contributors tills the earth in which future discussion on civility will be planted.
This book was undertaken as a response to these problems. It presents and develops a more robust discussion of what civility is, why it matters, what factors might contribute to it, and what its consequences are for democratic life. The authors included here pursue three major questions: Is the state of American political discourse today really that bad, compared to prior eras; what lessons about civility can we draw from the 2016 election; and how have changes in technology such as the development of online news and other means of mediated communication changed the nature of our discourse?
This book seeks to develop a coherent, civil conversation between divergent contemporary perspectives in political science, communications, history, sociology, and philosophy. This multidisciplinary approach helps to reflect on challenges to civil discourse, define civility, and identify its consequences for democratic life in a digital age. In this accessible text, an all-star cast of contributors tills the earth in which future discussion on civility will be planted.
Research Interests:
As the public purposes of higher education are being challenged by the increasing pressures of commodification and market-driven principles, Deliberative Pedagogy argues for colleges and universities to be critical spaces for democratic... more
As the public purposes of higher education are being challenged by the increasing pressures of commodification and market-driven principles, Deliberative Pedagogy argues for colleges and universities to be critical spaces for democratic engagement. The authors build upon contemporary research on participatory approaches to teaching and learning while simultaneously offering a robust introduction to the theory and practice of deliberative pedagogy as a new educational model for civic life. This volume is written for faculty members and academic professionals involved in curricular, co-curricular, and community settings, as well as administrators who seek to support faculty, staff, and students in such efforts. The book begins with a theoretical grounding and historical underpinning of education for democracy, provides a diverse collection of practical case studies with best practices shared by an array of scholars from varying disciplines and institutional contexts worldwide, and concludes with useful methods of assessment and next steps for this work. The contributors seek to catalyze a conversation about the role of deliberation in the next paradigm of teaching and learning in higher education and how it connects with the future of democracy. Ultimately, this book seeks to demonstrate how higher education institutions can cultivate collaborative and engaging learning environments that better address the complex challenges in our global society.
Research Interests: Teaching and Learning, Higher Education, Learning and Teaching, Community Engagement & Participation, Student Motivation And Engagement, and 7 morePedagogy, Deliberative Democracy, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Students, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Deliberative Democracy and Conflict, and Deliberative Pedagogy
Research Interests: Teaching and Learning, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Teacher Education, Assessment, Higher Education, and 8 moreCritical Pedagogy, Learning and Teaching, Andragogy, Pedagogy, Deliberative Democracy, Assessment in Higher Education, Scholarship of Learning and Teaching, and Learning And Teaching In Higher Education
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
As the public purposes of higher education are being challenged by the increasing pressures of commodification and market-driven principles, Deliberative Pedagogy argues for colleges and universities to be critical spaces for democratic... more
As the public purposes of higher education are being challenged by the increasing pressures of commodification and market-driven principles, Deliberative Pedagogy argues for colleges and universities to be critical spaces for democratic engagement. The authors build upon contemporary research on participatory approaches to teaching and learning while simultaneously offering a robust introduction to the theory and practice of deliberative pedagogy as a new educational model for civic life. The contributors seek to catalyze a conversation about the role of deliberation in the next paradigm of teaching and learning in higher education and how this connects with the future of democracy. Ultimately, this book seeks to demonstrate how higher education institutions can cultivate collaborative and engaging learning environments that better address the complex challenges in our global society. " A sophisticated and dedicated international community of scholar-educators is working to integrate deliberation into college-level education. This landmark book combines their experience, craft, and scholarship. It addresses every aspect of the topic from theory to measurement. It's an important contribution to pedagogy and to strengthening democracies. "
Research Interests: Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Design, Higher Education, Critical Pedagogy, Learning and Teaching, and 11 moreCommunity Engagement & Participation, Public Deliberation, Pedagogy, Deliberative Democracy, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Engaged Pedagogy, Deliberation, Community-Engaged Scholarship, Engaged Scholarship, and Deliberative Pedagogy
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in... more
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in ways that dominate, disable, and sideline neighborhood and community members who aren't employed as credentialed experts. Or they stay out of public work in the messy, contentious realm of civic life altogether...
Research Interests:
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise... more
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in ways that dominate, disable, and sideline neighborhood and community members who aren’t employed as credentialed experts. Or they stay out of public work in the messy, contentious realm of civic life altogether because they aren’t welcome, they see it as an inappropriate activity for professionals to engage in, they don’t know what to do, or they’re afraid of losing their jobs.
Through eight richly-detailed oral histories, this book helps to open our imagination to the possibilities for professionals to make constructive contributions to the task of making democracy work as it should. The first-hand stories of public work in these oral histories are told by professionals from six different states who either chose or were invited to jump into civic life as active participants. They help us see what it means and takes to be a “citizen professional” who respects and supports the capacities, intelligence, expertise, and agency of others.
Through eight richly-detailed oral histories, this book helps to open our imagination to the possibilities for professionals to make constructive contributions to the task of making democracy work as it should. The first-hand stories of public work in these oral histories are told by professionals from six different states who either chose or were invited to jump into civic life as active participants. They help us see what it means and takes to be a “citizen professional” who respects and supports the capacities, intelligence, expertise, and agency of others.
Research Interests: Communication, Professionalism, Community Engagement & Participation, Community Development, Civic Education, and 15 moreCommunity Development & Conflict Resolution, Dialogue, Oral history, Public Deliberation, Rural Development, Education for Citizenship, Deliberative Democracy, Democracy, Civic Engagement, Citizenship, Citizen participation, Democracy and Citizenship Education, Cooperative Extension, Community participation and engagement, and Deliberative Democracy and Conflict
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise... more
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in ways that dominate, disable, and sideline neighborhood and community members who aren’t employed as credentialed experts. Or they stay out of public work in the messy, contentious realm of civic life altogether because they aren’t welcome, they see it as an inappropriate activity for professionals to engage in, they don’t know what to do, or they’re afraid of losing their jobs.
Through eight richly-detailed oral histories, this book helps to open our imagination to the possibilities for professionals to make constructive contributions to the task of making democracy work as it should. The first-hand stories of public work in these oral histories are told by professionals from six different states who either chose or were invited to jump into civic life as active participants. They help us see what it means and takes to be a “citizen professional” who respects and supports the capacities, intelligence, expertise, and agency of others.
Through eight richly-detailed oral histories, this book helps to open our imagination to the possibilities for professionals to make constructive contributions to the task of making democracy work as it should. The first-hand stories of public work in these oral histories are told by professionals from six different states who either chose or were invited to jump into civic life as active participants. They help us see what it means and takes to be a “citizen professional” who respects and supports the capacities, intelligence, expertise, and agency of others.
Rural life has significantly changed over the past 100 years. Within the United States, we seem to be experiencing the end of subsistence farming and community agricultural practices that once enabled small-scale and diversified farming... more
Rural life has significantly changed over the past 100 years. Within the United States, we seem to be experiencing the end of subsistence farming and community agricultural practices that once enabled small-scale and diversified farming to thrive. Programs that once helped to establish stability within farming communities and create a sense of boundedness through agriculture are being eliminated. In this new era of agriculture, a new set of social and economic challenges are emerging in rural communities. Some suggest that the spirit of cooperation that was present in rural communities is being replaced with forced competition.
On the other hand, the planet’s population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, demands for food—and the water, land, and energy necessary to produce this food— is likely to increase with pressing urgency. New farming strategies, technologies, ideas, and policies are also likely to emerge to address the challenges of farming for the future. Many suggest that we should focus on the pressing need for efficiency and not spend too much time lamenting a past era of agriculture.
These challenges invite us to wonder: What will the future of agriculture and rural life look like? What do we want it to look like? Which values inform our hopes for the future?
On the other hand, the planet’s population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, demands for food—and the water, land, and energy necessary to produce this food— is likely to increase with pressing urgency. New farming strategies, technologies, ideas, and policies are also likely to emerge to address the challenges of farming for the future. Many suggest that we should focus on the pressing need for efficiency and not spend too much time lamenting a past era of agriculture.
These challenges invite us to wonder: What will the future of agriculture and rural life look like? What do we want it to look like? Which values inform our hopes for the future?
Research Interests: Economics, Organic agriculture, Sustainable Development, Governance, Dialogue, and 15 moreLocal Government, Agricultural Economics, Public Deliberation, Rural Development, Local Government and Local Development, Deliberative Democracy, Food and Nutrition, Agriculture, Sustainable Water Resources Management, Environmental Sustainability, Medicine, Regional Integration, Organic Farming, City and Regional Planning, and Discussion Methods
There is a natural human instinct which in times of crisis craves a panacea…, " Lucy Wilcox Adams wrote in her 1933 article "Salvaging Democracy." She highlighted how the world had seen in "the last few years…the sweeping victory of... more
There is a natural human instinct which in times of crisis craves a panacea…, " Lucy Wilcox Adams wrote in her 1933 article "Salvaging Democracy." She highlighted how the world had seen in "the last few years…the sweeping victory of Fascism" across Europe. "Most human institutions have at one time or other been the victims of the craving for a formula of salvation, " Adams wrote, and "as governments in Europe turn helplessly toward dictatorship and tyranny…. education is essential if we are to save democracy in America." In some significant ways, we have observed the decline of democracy across the world and at home in the United States. Reputable sources such as Freedom House and the Varieties of Democracy project highlight this along with the press covering this topic with such explicit statements such as "Democracy, are you OK?"
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Rural Sociology, Community Engagement & Participation, Dialogue, Public Deliberation, Rural Development, and 11 moreDeliberative Democracy, Agricultural extension, Civic Engagement, Agricultural & Extension Education, Intercultural dialogue, Deliberation, University, Rural Develoment, Community participation and engagement, Rural Development and agricultural Extension, and Deliberative Democracy and Conflict
Research Interests:
Review of The Origins of Collective Decision Making by Andy Blunden (Boston: Brill, 2016).
Research Interests:
There are a lot of calls these days to "revive civility" in politics. While there are plenty of examples of uncivil behavior, there's far less agreement about what civility should look like in 2019. Timothy Shaffer joins us this week to... more
There are a lot of calls these days to "revive civility" in politics. While there are plenty of examples of uncivil behavior, there's far less agreement about what civility should look like in 2019. Timothy Shaffer joins us this week to talk about work being done to create a new definition of civility and a playbook to put that definition into practice.
Shaffer is an assistant professor in communication studies at Kansas State University, assistant director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, and principal research specialist at the National Institute for Civil Discourse. He is the editor of a new book called A Crisis of Civility? Political Discourse and its Discontents.
Shaffer is an assistant professor in communication studies at Kansas State University, assistant director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, and principal research specialist at the National Institute for Civil Discourse. He is the editor of a new book called A Crisis of Civility? Political Discourse and its Discontents.
Research Interests:
Civility in 116th Congress not off to a great start so far | WSYX https://abc6onyourside.com/news/nation-world/civility-in-116th-congress-not-off-to-a-great-start-so-far
Research Interests:
Tim Shaffer receives Early Career Recognition Award from the International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Deliberative Pedagogy included in August 4, 2017 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education
Research Interests:
Presidential nominees Hillary Clinton (left) and Donald Trump (right) at their rallies in Arizona leading up to Election Day. The NICD has launched a campaign to heal the rhetoric that has become common in political discourse since the... more
Presidential nominees Hillary Clinton (left) and Donald Trump (right) at their rallies in Arizona leading up to Election Day. The NICD has launched a campaign to heal the rhetoric that has become common in political discourse since the election.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
TheMercury.com | Shaffer: Building community a cure for political incivility http://themercury.com/articles/shaffer-building-community-a-cure-for-political-incivility
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
"Civic studies asks Shaffer’s question: “What should we do?” It is thus inevitably about ethics (what is right and good?), about facts (what is actually going on?) and about strategies (what would work?). Good strategies may take many... more
"Civic studies asks Shaffer’s question: “What should we do?” It is thus inevitably about ethics (what is right and good?), about facts (what is actually going on?) and about strategies (what would work?). Good strategies may take many forms and use many instruments, but if a strategy addresses the question “What should we do?”, then it must guide our own actions. For many of us, institutions and institution-making are crucial to this enterprise. They embody ideals and values. They can also be seen as crucial resources."
Research Interests:
This month, the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (DDC) and the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) released a special issue of their collaboratively produced Journal of Public Deliberation, and it is a must-read.
Research Interests:
UD River Stewards take a two-day kayak trip down the Great Miami River to promote the mission of the Rivers Institute to reunite the region and its rivers.
Research Interests:
There has been a multitude of incredibly motivated students involved in Fitz Center programs, past and present, and all are affected by the mission of the Fitz Center. No one who walks away from the Fitz Center leaves empty-handed. In... more
There has been a multitude of incredibly motivated students involved in Fitz Center programs, past and present, and all are affected by the mission of the Fitz Center. No one who walks away from the Fitz Center leaves empty-handed. In fact, there are many who have taken what they have learned and applied it to their careers. The larger community is being touched by the Fitz Center mission through the lives of our alumni/nae in their careers for the common good. The following graduates have seen a need in their communities and are using their skills to do something about it.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
"Any discussion of accountability must address ways that government officials will react to the accountability imposed on them. One enlightening entry emphasizes the topic of blame avoidance, where politicians and bureaucrats attempt to... more
"Any discussion of accountability must address ways that government officials will react to the accountability imposed on them. One enlightening entry emphasizes the topic of blame avoidance, where politicians and bureaucrats attempt to dodge accountability, leading to positive as well as negative effects. Specific examples of accountability include international nongovernmental organizations (Bangladesh PROSHIKA) and U.S. nonprofit organizations that have grown dramatically in size and influence over the past 25 years. The remaining sections of the work address strategies and rethinking."
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Upper level undergraduate and graduate students seminar on the role of communcation, particularly different forums of face-to-face interaction, in democracy.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The idea of group discussion has deep roots, but hasn't always been thoroughly studied. Groups are comprised of people who are Individuals with different understandings of collective/community identity We need to wrestle with our sense of... more
The idea of group discussion has deep roots, but hasn't always been thoroughly studied. Groups are comprised of people who are Individuals with different understandings of collective/community identity We need to wrestle with our sense of identity and how that impacts the way(s) we engage others. Some problems are simple. Some are complex. Talking without communicating We too often interact and speak with one another without listening. The challenge is to be able to listen with one another. There are many dimensions to group dynamics when we think about diversity It is essential that we identity and navigate the challenges/opportunities of diversity (broadly defined and experienced) in group settings when people need to communicate and make decisions that affect organizations and their decision-making processes. • We need to be able to identity these challenges/opportunities. • We need to learn skills and practices that help to cultivate and sustain group communication practices. • Working with those who hold different viewpoints, values, etc. is a necessity. There are useful technologies that can transform small group communication and/or create new ways of engaging others. Platforms and technologies exist now that enable small groups of people in groups to engage in civil discourse communication. Leadership in groups/decision making.
Research Interests:
Talking it out, deliberative dialogue in higher education: In our eighth episode of the second season, Co-Hosts Emily Shields and Andrew Seligsohn sat down with author and scholar Timothy Shaffer about his work and research in... more
Talking it out, deliberative dialogue in higher education: In our eighth episode of the second season, Co-Hosts Emily Shields and Andrew Seligsohn sat down with author and scholar Timothy Shaffer about his work and research in deliberative dialogue, including his new book, “Deliberative Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning for Democratic Engagement.” We discussed what it really takes to embed dialogue in campus and community work and some ideas for making it more effective. We also took a detour from the usual pop culture conversation to review Thanksgiving traditions, including Andrew’s recipe for turkey that doesn’t suck.
Research Interests:
Teaching and Learning for Democratic Participation, Participedia Webinar
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Excerpts from book cover: “Make America Meme Again reveals the rhetorical principles used to design Alt-right memes, illustrating the myriad ways memes lure mainstream audiences to a number of extremist claims. In particular, this book... more
Excerpts from book cover: “Make America Meme Again reveals the rhetorical principles used to design Alt-right memes, illustrating the myriad ways memes lure mainstream audiences to a number of extremist claims. In particular, this book argues that Alt-right memes impact the culture of digital boards and broader public culture by stultifying discourse, thereby shaping how publics congeal. The authors demonstrate that memes are a mechanism that proliferate white nationalism and exclusionary politics by spreading algorithmically through network cultures in ways that are often difficult to discern. Alt-right memes thus present a significant threat to democratic praxis, one that can begin to be combatted through a rigorous rhetorical analysis of their power and influence.” Excerpt from preface by Carolyn Lukensmeyer: “This book [Crisis of Civility] is developed from scholarship in the fields of communication, philosophy, history, psychology, sociology, public engagement, public policy, a...
Research Interests:
Social justice is a topic that few in higher education oppose, but university faculty members and academic professionals face structural challenges in their efforts to engage with social justice issues. By exploring four dimensions of the... more
Social justice is a topic that few in higher education oppose, but university faculty members and academic professionals face structural challenges in their efforts to engage with social justice issues. By exploring four dimensions of the university—institutional mission, academic scholarship, professional identity, and pedagogical approaches—the author argues for a rethinking of how faculty and academic professionals approach these dimensions of their work. The author also identifies other fields of scholarship and practice that can help to address pressing public problems in which social justice issues are of central importance.
Research Interests: Sociology, Higher Education, Sociology of Knowledge, Community Engagement & Participation, Politics, and 12 moreSocial Justice, Pedagogy, Deliberative Democracy, Social Justice in Education, Sociology of Professions, Music and identity, Professional Development, Equity and Social Justice in Higher Education, Civic Engagement, Knowledge, Scholarship, and Deliberative Pedagogy
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Democracy is in trouble. We have been reminded of its fragility. The rise of antidemocratic sentiment and actions highlight the extent to which autocratization endangers the lives of citizens, now engulfing 25 countries and 34% of the... more
Democracy is in trouble. We have been reminded of its fragility. The rise of antidemocratic sentiment and actions highlight the extent to which autocratization endangers the lives of citizens, now engulfing 25 countries and 34% of the world population (2.6 billion). For the last 10 years, the number of democratizing countries dropped by almost half to 16, hosting a mere 4% of the global population (Alizada et al., 2021). Faced with these global trends, as well as democracy’s challenges during the first two decades of the twenty-first century, how can communication studies contribute to the study of civic engagement and student learning today? To offer a response about next steps, we must first look back. Importantly, this is not the first time the world has experienced a challenge to democratic self-governance. Before World War II, the United States dealt with its own rise of authoritarianism, not with force, but with more democracy. Government, universities, and civic organizations cultivated opportunities for people in urban and rural contexts to engage one another in ways that encouraged democracy through education. The forum movement of the 1930s responded to such antidemocratic practices with a doubling down of the efforts to engage diverse people in vibrant group discussion (Keith, 2007; Shaffer, 2017a). Lepore (2020) captures this democratic experiment well when she writes, “It’s a paradox of democracy that the best way to defend it is to attack it, to ask more of it, by way of criticism, protest, and dissent” (p. 21). Asking more of democracy today should prioritize creating space for new types of vibrant discussion, a space that is inclusive and invites marginalized voices. In some ways, communication studies can promote civic engagement and student learning today by responding as it did to the democratic crisis of the 1930s—with more democracy. But how do we expect citizens to discern truth when we have a deluge of information that blurs fact and opinion as well as deal with increased disagreement about the ways to analytically interpret that information (Kavanagh & Rich, 2018; Tollefson, 2021)? Deliberative pedagogy offers a potent intervention to cease the spread of such misinformation, with a charge that seems straightforward but offers challenges for pedagogical research and practice (Longo & Shaffer, 2019). Deliberative pedagogy is defined as a
Research Interests:
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in... more
When it comes to the task of making democracy work as it should in everyday ways and places, professionals who are employed by institutions of many kinds can be a problem. All too often, they use their technical knowledge and expertise in ways that dominate, disable, and sideline neighborhood and community members who aren’t employed as credentialed experts. Or they stay out of public work in the messy, contentious realm of civic life altogether because they aren’t welcome, they see it as an inappropriate activity for professionals to engage in, they don’t know what to do, or they’re afraid of losing their jobs. Through eight richly-detailed oral histories, this book helps to open our imagination to the possibilities for professionals to make constructive contributions to the task of making democracy work as it should. The first-hand stories of public work in these oral histories are told by professionals from six different states who either chose or were invited to jump into civic life as active participants. They help us see what it means and takes to be a “citizen professional” who respects and supports the capacities, intelligence, expertise, and agency of others.
Research Interests:
Review of Deliberative Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning for Democratic Engagement. Edited by Timothy J. Shaffer, Nicholas V. Longo, Idit Manosevitch, and Maxine S. Thomas. (Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2017)
Research Interests:
Book Review: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America by Peter Levine (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013)
Research Interests:
Andy Blunden’s The Origins of Collective Decision Making (2016) is driven by his observation that participants in twenty-first century protest movements and organisations try to work together witho...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article introduces the special issue on Deliberative Democracy in an Era of Authoritarianism. The essay highlights the relationship between authoritarianism and democracy, and discusses concerns about the current rise in... more
This article introduces the special issue on Deliberative Democracy in an Era of Authoritarianism. The essay highlights the relationship between authoritarianism and democracy, and discusses concerns about the current rise in authoritarianism in political systems. It poses questions about how deliberative scholars and practitioners should respond to authoritarian political contexts and how deliberation should relate to more activist forms of civic engagement. Finally, it previews the articles in the special issue and urges future work in the field to take up ideas, questions, and challenges posed by these essays.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Public Administration, Adult Education, Higher Education, Rural History, Civic Education, and 13 moreDialogue, Public Deliberation, Rural Development, Deliberative Democracy, Democracy, Civic Engagement, Cooperative Learning, Civic Professionalism, Public Philosophy, Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant Universities, Discussion Methods, and Deliberative Democracy and Conflict
The author argues that university faculty can create courses that explore deliberative democracy theory and practice while also making the structure of the course deliberative and participatory for undergraduate students. Challenging... more
The author argues that university faculty can create courses that explore deliberative democracy theory and practice while also making the structure of the course deliberative and participatory for undergraduate students. Challenging norms within higher education requires thinking differently about one’s pedagogical approach and to connect courses with wider public issues.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
W hat is the appropriate role of passions in democracy? Sharon Krause’s Civil Passions adds to the debate on this highly contested question in democratic theory. Faculty and other professionals whose work includes deliberative forums or... more
W hat is the appropriate role of passions in democracy? Sharon Krause’s Civil Passions adds to the debate on this highly contested question in democratic theory. Faculty and other professionals whose work includes deliberative forums or related forms of engagement will find this book to be an important contribution addressing the critical question of how to reconcile impartiality with passions. While many would contend that deliberation within a liberal democracy must leave out passions so rational judgments can be made, Krause contends that passions can and should contribute positively to the process. She argues that passions and moral sen-timent are already involved in practical reasoning and should be acknowledged as such. Krause situates her argument between those who hold a neo-Kantian position stating that reason alone motivates individuals to act or make decisions, and those who perceive the role of passion and emotion in motivation and decision-making. She states that
""To Serve a Larger Purpose" calls for the reclamation of the original democratic purposes... more
""To Serve a Larger Purpose" calls for the reclamation of the original democratic purposes of civic engagement and examines the requisite transformation of higher education required to achieve it. The contributors to this timely and relevant volume effectively highlight the current practice of civic engagement and point to the institutional change needed to realize its democratic ideals. Using multiple perspectives, "To Serve a Larger Purpose" explores the democratic processes and purposes that reorient civic engagement to what the editors call "democratic engagement." The norms of democratic engagement are determined by values such as inclusiveness, collaboration, participation, task sharing, and reciprocity in public problem solving and an equality of respect for the knowledge and experience that everyone contributes to education, knowledge generation, and community building. This book shrewdly rethinks the culture of higher education."
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This work revisits and expands upon Yankelovich s seminal 1991 book, "Coming to Public Judgment," which argued that people advance through several distinct stages to form politically meaningful judgments about public issues. In... more
This work revisits and expands upon Yankelovich s seminal 1991 book, "Coming to Public Judgment," which argued that people advance through several distinct stages to form politically meaningful judgments about public issues. In particular, citizens must "work through" the temptation to opt for easy answers or engage in wishful thinking, reconcile conflicting values, and come to terms with tough tradeoffs, before they can truly support a new course of action. The present work examines these themes in light of changing societal conditions, from the advent of the Internet and the weakening of traditional media to the proliferation of urgent and complex problems that cannot be put off without courting disaster.In his lead chapter, Dan Yankelovich urges us to move away from a "misleading model of public opinion" that "dominates the expert culture of our society, including journalists, scientists, business leaders, scholars, professional experts, and political leaders." He and the other contributors (Will Friedman, Keith Melville, Robert Kingston, Alison Kadlec, Steven A. Rosell, and Heidi Gantwerk) describe methods used by organizations like Public Agenda, National Issues Forums, and Viewpoint Learning, Inc., to advance the public's learning curve through various forms of civic engagement, education, dialogue and deliberation.They provide case studies of education reform in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and math and science initiatives in the Kansas City area, and examples of programs that have focused on issues ranging from energy and health care to US-Muslim relations. One chapter is a dialogue between Yankelovich and Friedman.While our political culture resonates to the public's desire for a stronger voice, it fails to ensure that this voice reflects anything more than the spin, spectacle, and excessive partisanship that dominate today's public discourse. "Toward Wiser Public Judgment" offers insights and strategies to counteract these troubling trends."
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This essay offers a response to the special issue essays. It emphasizes that town meetings are a site for governance and have implications for contemporary deliberative practices.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article focuses on the theoretical and conceptual issues that reside at the intersection of deliberation and action. Looking at the Antigonish Movement and the USDA's farmer discussion groups and schools of philosophy in the... more
This article focuses on the theoretical and conceptual issues that reside at the intersection of deliberation and action. Looking at the Antigonish Movement and the USDA's farmer discussion groups and schools of philosophy in the 1930s and 1940s, the article identifies salient points about the ways in which institutional leaders developed programs that attended to concerns about the role of facts, values, and strategies by embedding deliberative talk within collaborative efforts through education and community development initiatives.
Research Interests: Adult Education, Community Engagement & Participation, Civic Education, Public Deliberation, Deliberative Democracy, and 10 moreDemocracy, Participatory Democracy, Cooperatives, Institutions (Political Science), Civic Engagement, Cooperative Learning, Participatory Decision Making, Democracy and Citizenship Education, Civic Studies, and Penn State University
Research Interests: Education, Development Studies, Community Engagement & Participation, Community Development, Political Science, and 7 moreSustainable Development, Adult Continuing and Professional Education, Rural Development, Professional Development, Urban And Regional Planning, Civility and the Civilising Process, and Polarization
This article focuses on the use of radio broadcasts as resources for those organizing and convening face-to-face discussion groups in rural communities across the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Led by the United States Department... more
This article focuses on the use of radio broadcasts as resources for those organizing and convening face-to-face discussion groups in rural communities across the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Led by the United States Department of Agriculture, small group discussions took place with leadership coming from Cooperative Extension agents from land-grant universities. As public affairs shows were being carried on the major commercial radio channels, the USDA discussion project utilized radio broadcasts to introduce people to the methods of conducting group discussions. The article focuses on the national efforts of the USDA as well as localized attempts to utilize radio broadcasts in the service of democratic discussion, focusing on one of the most robust examples of a land-grant university—the University of Wisconsin-Madison—utilizing technology for democratic discussion in rural communities across the state. It notes shortcomings and challenges, as well as identifying the critical role that radio played in helping citizens and communities begin to think about complex public problems through the use of new technologies.
Research Interests: Information Technology, Education, Technology, Educational Technology, Higher Education, and 15 moreCommunity Development, Political Science, Civic Education, Radio, Information Communication Technology, Agriculture, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Agricultural extension, Civic Engagement, Community Radio, Wisconsin History, Land-Grant Universities, Agricultural Extension Education, Teaching and Learning In Adult and Higher Education, and Science and Technology Studies
"Any discussion of accountability must address ways that government officials will react to the accountability imposed on them. One enlightening entry emphasizes the topic of blame avoidance, where politicians and bureaucrats attempt... more
"Any discussion of accountability must address ways that government officials will react to the accountability imposed on them. One enlightening entry emphasizes the topic of blame avoidance, where politicians and bureaucrats attempt to dodge accountability, leading to positive as well as negative effects. Specific examples of accountability include international nongovernmental organizations (Bangladesh PROSHIKA) and U.S. nonprofit organizations that have grown dramatically in size and influence over the past 25 years. The remaining sections of the work address strategies and rethinking."
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Since the earliest years of the republic (or even before if we count the colonial period), democratic practices have been woven into the fabric of our formal and informal structures and institutions. Acknowledging grassroots examples of... more
Since the earliest years of the republic (or even before if we count the colonial period), democratic practices have been woven into the fabric of our formal and informal structures and institutions. Acknowledging grassroots examples of democratic life is critical, but we haven’t always appreciated the important role of institutions in cultivating opportunities and outlets for democratic life and expression. As we seek to both understand and improve civic life, understanding the roles of institutions in both creating opportunities for robust forms of civic engagement and sustaining those efforts is a critical element of cultivating civic spaces and opportunities.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Cooperative Extension has a rich history of providing research-based knowledge and functioning as a catalyst for change through community engagement. It is via this second dimension of its identity that Extension has long played a role in... more
Cooperative Extension has a rich history of providing research-based knowledge and functioning as a catalyst for change through community engagement. It is via this second dimension of its identity that Extension has long played a role in creating space for public issues to be understood through deliberative discussion. Rather than view the use of deliberation and discussion as only a recent development in Extension's approach to engaging citizens about public issues, I highlight efforts and challenges related to Extension's experiment with deliberation and discussion in the 1930s and 1940s and use this historic perspective to identify important implications for Extension today. Introduction: Contested Identities of Cooperative Extension In an article published in the Journal of Extension, Jacob (2013) asked, "Could the universities, our national brain trust, help revive our cities and help citizens improve their quality of life?" (Introduction, para. 2). He pointe...
Research Interests: Adult Education, Lifelong Learning, Adult Continuing and Professional Education, Deliberative Democracy, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, and 14 moreGroup Dynamics, Group communication, Professional Development, Adult and Continuing Education, Agricultural extension, Adult Educators, Extension, Civic Professionalism, Lifelong learning and adult education, Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant Universities, Agricultural Extension Education, Discussion Methods, and Deliberative Democracy and Conflict
world that is based on freedom, equal opportunities for all, respect, responsibility, and international cooperation. The interdependence of democracy and the knowledge and mental attitudes of the citizens in a peaceful postwar order is... more
world that is based on freedom, equal opportunities for all, respect, responsibility, and international cooperation. The interdependence of democracy and the knowledge and mental attitudes of the citizens in a peaceful postwar order is the essence and topical meaning of this work. Fritz Borinski understood the importance in a crucial situation of world history and regime change in Germany to relate historical experience to the planning of a better future. I am convinced that Borinski’s work is a valuable source of information and reflection on democracy in education and especially on adult education teaching and learning methods. Furthermore, I believe that it will be of considerable interest for educators to see how democratic adult education flourished in Germany during the first democratic period in the history of the country, and to study its relevance for the future development of the field. Humane historical, political, and societal reconstructions as offered in this book are meaningful opportunities to reflect on the roots of our research field. Thus, one can understand the value of encountering perspectives of our predecessors in a well-identified historical framework such as that provided by Borinski.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
""To Serve a Larger Purpose" calls for the reclamation of the original democratic purposes... more
""To Serve a Larger Purpose" calls for the reclamation of the original democratic purposes of civic engagement and examines the requisite transformation of higher education required to achieve it. The contributors to this timely and relevant volume effectively highlight the current practice of civic engagement and point to the institutional change needed to realize its democratic ideals. Using multiple perspectives, "To Serve a Larger Purpose" explores the democratic processes and purposes that reorient civic engagement to what the editors call "democratic engagement." The norms of democratic engagement are determined by values such as inclusiveness, collaboration, participation, task sharing, and reciprocity in public problem solving and an equality of respect for the knowledge and experience that everyone contributes to education, knowledge generation, and community building. This book shrewdly rethinks the culture of higher education."
Research Interests:
... officers, led by the indomitable trio: Rosie Moody, Renee Morgan, and Susie Smith. Thanks also to the Dean's Office for the Small Research Grant and for gener-ously covering the copyright and reproduction costs for the... more
... officers, led by the indomitable trio: Rosie Moody, Renee Morgan, and Susie Smith. Thanks also to the Dean's Office for the Small Research Grant and for gener-ously covering the copyright and reproduction costs for the illustrations in this book. Serena Hinz helped design the ...