2026 APSA Theme Panel: Embedding Discourse and Deliberation in Civic Learning Experiences

Participants:

• (Chair) Terry Gilmour, Midland College

• (Discussant) Patrick F. McKinlay, Morningside University

• (Discussant) Renee B. Van Vechten, University of Redlands

Session Description:
Effective civic engagement pedagogy often relies on experiential learning, where students have the opportunity to hone important civic skills in the classroom, on campus and in the community. In the current political climate – characterized by erosion of voluntary associations in the public sphere, heightened polarization, and escalation of both rudeness and political violence –  these learning opportunities will be most effective at cultivating essential civic knowledge, skills, and disposition if they incorporate deliberation. While externally funded programming and one-off campus events featuring civility and deliberation are currently popular, embedding deliberation into well-established courses, co-curricular extra-curricular programs is essential to institutionalize the type of civic learning that provides college students the opportunity to directly participate in high-impact practices featuring civil discourse and deliberation.

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