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Habits of Heart and Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Table of Contents

A Letter from the President Emeritus of the American Academy

Introduction

What Is Civic Culture?

Why Civic Culture Matters

How to Fortify Healthy Civic Culture

Practice Civic Love and Joy
Promote Habits of Service
Create Space for Free Exchange of Ideas and Model Being Unafraid
Engage People in Codesign and Decision-Making
Practice Mutualism and Mutual Aid
Spread Narratives of Common Purpose
Root Activity in Shared Place

Building Communities of Practice: Case Studies

Arizona
Atlanta

Measuring Civic Culture

Conclusion

Appendix A: Key Terms

Appendix B: Description of the Civic Culture Landscape Survey

Appendix C: Members of the Working Group on Defining Civic Culture

American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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Democracy & Justice

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Project

Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship

The bipartisan Commission issued Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century to both strengthen institutions and bolster civil society. Work is underway to advance initiatives rooted in that report that will help make the nation emerge as a more resilient democracy by 2026, the nation’s 250th anniversary.

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Democracy & Justice