Ideas from ACA Members

As a community of practice, the Alliance is committed to strengthening postsecondary civic education by fostering collaboration among members to develop and share ideas, resources, and best practices in a spirit of civic friendship. This work necessarily involves engaging with diverse perspectives, including those with which members may disagree. By doing so, we aim to model the democratic skills of good-faith dialogue and respectful engagement across differences—skills we seek to instill in our students, both in and beyond the classroom.

 

Below, you will find materials and ideas contributed by various Alliance members. These materials reflect a wide range of viewpoints and do not necessarily represent the view of the Alliance itself. However, we hope they will inspire thoughtful reflection on how best to prepare university students for the responsibilities of self-governance.

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Pledge of Allegiance

Commentary: Civics, Citizenship, and America 250

Chester E. Finn, Jr. in Thomas B. Fordham Institute (June 25, 2026)

Finn argues that while Americans – especially younger generations – are becoming less patriotic and less committed to shared civic values, the growing attention to civic education, history, and citizenship ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary presents an opportunity for civic renewal.

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Field-Building: Why I’m Doubling Down on Deliberative Pedagogy 

J. Cherie Strachan in Journal of Political Science Education (October 23, 2025)

Amid rising polarization, incivility, political violence, and democratic backsliding, political science educators increasingly view civic engagement pedagogy as a professional responsibility to strengthen students’ democratic capacities. The essay argues that deliberative pedagogy is especially well suited to the current context because, when carefully designed, it can build civic skills, trust, identity, and engagement in ways that benefit all students, not just those already comfortable with politics.

Higher Education

Civics in the News: An Overview of Civics in Higher Education

Peter Levine in  Peter Levine Substack (May 29, 2026)

On April 10, the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University and the Alliance for Civics in the Academy (ACA), with support from GBH, held a one-day national summit on civics in higher education. All day, we heard from leaders of exemplary programs that emphasize various combinations of community engagement, academic coursework, and research and experimentation on democracy.

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