Civics

I am deeply interested in civics — what is means to be an active citizen; effective and enriching paths to social change; civic creativity beyond voting and protest; and what it will take a spur a civic revival in America.

I have been working on two books on this topic. First is my book Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in An Age of Infinite Browsing about building “a counterculture of commitment” within our age of “Infinite Browsing Mode.” It is based on my 2018 graduation speech on the same topic. Commitment, I argue, is the fundamental prerequisite for effective citizenship.

Second, I am working on a book of civic essays — Slow Politics: On Civic Hope in Troubled Times. It aims to share a mindset, strategy and vision for hopeful citizenship in our often disappointing era. Topics discussed include: the need for longer-term civic projects, the flexible nature of our social structure, the power of civic creativity, a vision of political community beyond tribalism, the practice of working groups, how to scale through ‘networked localism,’ the difference between a deeper democracy and a more humane meritocracy, and the meaning of “the democratic faith.”

I am also working on co-producing a documentary on the civic crisis — and potential for civic revival — in America. It follows the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the eyes of the man who has dedicated his life to studying it: Harvard social scientist, Bowling Alone author, and civic guru Robert Putnam.

I also often use my conversations on The Current Affairs Podcast to explore civic themes.