How can political scientists use discussions of democratic theory and participation to encourage their students to become more civically engaged?
This month’s RAISE the Vote campaign theme, “Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations for Democratic Engagement,” addresses that question and provides specific examples and resources that faculty can use in the classroom. During the month of December, political scientists will contribute blog posts focused on teaching, research, and campus engagement vis-à-vis civic engagement. Some contributors will describe specific course assignments they use to teach civic republicanism, engage in civic reflection in the classroom, and other issues related to theoretical foundations for democratic engagement. Other posts will provide accessible forays into related areas of research, which will include discussions of democratic theory and third parties, the importance of popular democracy for environmental issues, and other topics. In addition, the campaign will continue to highlight the critical work of political science faculty in encouraging student civic engagement on campus.
APSA introduced the RAISE the Vote campaign, where RAISE stands for “Resources to Amplify and Increase Student Engagement,” in November 2019 with the goal of increasing college student registration, voting, and civic engagement by outlining best practices that faculty can use in the classroom and on-campus to encourage student engagement and by highlighting the research, teaching, and service that political scientists are undertaking as relates to civic engagement and voting.
More information about the campaign, including recent blog posts and articles, and instructions for how to contribute to the campaign, can be found on the RAISE the Vote website.