Civic Thought and Leadership: A Higher Civics to Sustain American Constitutional Democracy

Multiple civic crises facing American constitutional democracy-deepening political polarization and dysfunction, loss of confidence in major institutions and professions, and collapse of confidence in higher education-can be simultaneously redressed by restoring traditional civic education in universities and colleges. A nascent national reform in public universities, establishing departments of civic thought and leadership, reintroduces a blend of classical liberal arts and American civic education. This restores a core mission of truth-seeking and Socratic debate to universities, while providing the higher civics needed to perpetuate the American legal and constitutional order through non-partisan, non-ideological preparation of thoughtful citizens and leaders with the necessary civic knowledge and civic virtues, including commitment to the rule of law and American constitutionalism.