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This Civic Engagement Month, the South Carolina State Library invites you to explore the power of participation with a curated selection of books dedicated to the foundations of our democratic society, civic renewal, and community participation.
From stories of grassroots movements and calls to public service, this collection provides the knowledge and inspiration to become a more informed and active citizen in our state and beyond.
Teaching History, Learning Citizenship: Tools for Civic Engagement stands out from other books for several reasons. First, it provides ready-to-use lesson materials on important historical topics, already likely to be part of the history curriculum. Primary sources are modified for young readers, with graphic organizers and ideas for other instructional support. Lesson materials are presented in a way that allows teachers flexibility in the way lessons are designed"-- Provided by publisher.
Introduction. Government programs matter: political learning, policy feedbacks, and the policy-centered approach -- The participatory impacts of county government means-tested and universal social programs -- City government and neighborhoods: intentional empowerment and reactionary mobilization -- Community policing: a reform policy for police responsiveness -- City government, economic development incentives, and business influence -- The impact of development incentive policy reform: a case study -- Policy-centered theory and urban programs: community effects in a global context.
In recent years there has been a widely-recognized and serious lack of rational and civil public discussion about current issues. In The American Legal System and Civic Engagement, Manaster asserts that ordinary citizens can form their opinions on public issues more intelligently, confidently, and responsibly if they have some guidance on how to do it. Drawing from the tools and traditions of the American legal system, he offers guidance to aid citizens in understanding public issues and participating in the type of responsible public debate these challenging issues deserve. From analyzing the influence of the media in informing the public, to examining the role of the citizen as a juror, The American Legal System and Civic Engagement is a practical and informative guide to how Americans can better perform the civic duty that modern democracy requires.
This guidebook is designed to lead socially responsible and civically engaged youth through the process of utilizing a variety of methods to uplift their communities. While using this guidebook, youth will review case studies of youth in action, participate in interactive and engaging activities, and identify ways to elevate their voices and civic identities. --back cover.
In September 2011, two leading civic engagement advocacy organizations headed, respectively, by Robert Putnam and Peter Levine released a joint report showing that a region's level of civic engagement was a strong predictor of its ability to recover from the Great Recession. This finding confirms what advocates of civic engagement have long hypothesized: that strengthening the networks between government and civil society and increasing citizen participation results in better government and better community outcomes. However, citizens concerned about the economic crisis need more than just deliberation or community organizing alone to achieve these outcomes. What they need, according to Peter Levine, is a movement devoted to civic renewal. Deliberative democracy-the idea that true democratic legitimacy derives from open, inclusive discussion and dialogue rather than simple voting-has become an extremely influential concept in the last two decades. In We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For, Peter Levine contends that effective deliberative democracy depends upon effective community advocacy. Deliberation, he shows, is most valuable when talk and debate are integrated into a community's everyday life. To illustrate how it works, Levine draws lessons from both community organizing and developmental psychology, and uses examples of successful efforts from communities across America as welll as fledgling democracies in Africa and Eastern Europe. By engaging in this type of civic work, American citizens can meaningfully contribute to civic renewal, which, in turn, will address serious social problems that cannot be fixed in any other way.
The book sale is over. Now what? Join the Friends of South Carolina Libraries on September 24th at 2:00 pm for a virtual conversation about donating funds back to your local library. This event is free and open to all.
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