Whatever else it meant, the storming of the Capitol on January 6th showed that something is deeply wrong with American democracy. How do we fix it? In answering that question,…
Adolf GundersenJanuary 25, 2021
I hail from a small city along the Mississippi that’s worked hard to restore its downtown architecture for both cultural and economic reasons. For a time the new mall on…
Adolf GundersenJuly 4, 2020
EnCiv exists to promote democratic discourse. That's why we aspire to be not only non-partisan but cross-partisan, as well. What's the difference? And why are both important to EnCiv's mission?…
Adolf GundersenMay 29, 2020
A recent white paper published by the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation is calling on the private sector to put its shoulder behind civics education and engagement. The paper, entitled…
Adolf GundersenJanuary 24, 2020
We should take a break from politics during Thanksgiving. That's the closely reasoned view philosopher Robert Talisse serves up in one of the most insightful pieces on politics in recent…
Adolf GundersenNovember 28, 2019
This Thanksgiving consider including democracy in your list of blessings. Or maybe saying "thanks" to all those working to defend and improve it. Just a few things democracy gives us:…
Adolf GundersenNovember 28, 2019
As we've already seen in this series, democracy can be described in poetic, spiritual, or analytical terms. And even if one sticks to the analytical, differing images will emerge as…
Adolf GundersenJune 20, 2019
Former Supreme Court Justice Learned Hand (1872-1961) is the most quoted justice in US history. His eloquence continues to inform discussions of everything from taxation to the preconditions of a…
Adolf GundersenJune 13, 2019
Asking someone who their favorite high school teacher was is a great way to start a conversation. It's personal--but not too personal--because while the response can be far more revealing…
Adolf GundersenJune 6, 2019
Perhaps the most venerable and widely quoted definition of democracy is "rule by the many"--as opposed to "rule by one" or "rule by a few". It's a workable definition, as…
Adolf GundersenJune 4, 2019
The good news about polarization is twofold: fully 75% Americans seem to recognize it's a problem of crisis proportions, while over 200 civic organizations have stepped up to counter it. …
Adolf GundersenMay 31, 2019
Whether or not our National Parks are "America's best idea", it's undeniable that they're a uniquely American invention. They also offer a uniquely American image of democracy. I don't mean…
Adolf GundersenMay 28, 2019
I was introduced to another image of democracy when I went off to school in the late '70s: the co-operative, or "co-op", as most people called them. There were bike…
Adolf GundersenMay 15, 2019
Our last post began our occasional series "Images of Democracy" not by discussing a famous speech or political theory, but by describing the poetic vision of Walt Whitman. Continuing that…
Adolf GundersenMay 10, 2019
