Appendix A: Key Terms

Citizenship

Citizenship can be understood broadly in two ways. One is a formal status within a state that affords political participation, including the vote, and implies certain obligations of engagement or participation in state activities. Over the course of U.S. history, the formal status of citizen has sometimes attached to membership in particular cities, sometimes to states, and sometimes to the nation as a whole; the different categories of formal membership have not always aligned. The second, broader conception of citizenship is an ethical notion of being a prosocial contributor to a self-governing community. This notion pertains regardless of legal documentation status. It centers on participation in common life, contribution to the common good, and a spirit of obligation to interests greater than one’s own. The colloquialism “a good citizen” captures this meaning. The efforts of the working group are intended to include the first way of thinking about citizenship and extend to the second. This is contested territory. Not everyone thinks that the ethical category of citizenship should apply to those who do not have the formal status of citizens. In our work, however, we take the fact that anyone can contribute positively to their community as foundational to the development of all formal institutions of citizenship. We protect the idea of self-government for free and equal citizens by cultivating the values and practices of self-government in all members of a community.59
 

Civic Catalysts

Civic catalysts empower others to realize their potential for change, fostering a sense of responsibility and power. They mobilize their communities to build grassroots influence, shaping their own futures and the world. Despite challenges, they envision America’s promise and collaborate with others to bring it to fruition.
 

Civic Culture

American civic culture is the set of norms, values, narratives, habits, and rituals that shapes how we live together and govern ourselves in our diverse democratic society. It is shaped by a market economy, civic creed, place, race, and religion. It is embodied in how we join, participate, express ourselves, argue the meaning of our ideals, remember the past, and create common purpose and new folkways across identities.
 

Pluralism

Pluralism champions the recognition and validation of our differences, fostering not just peaceful coexistence but active collaboration among diverse cultures and perspectives. It transcends liberalism and libertarianism, weaving in their ethos of openness while advocating for a dynamic equilibrium of varied truths and values. More than mere tolerance, pluralism is a living practice, a perpetual negotiation that reflects the nation’s evolving identity and the shifting mosaic of its citizenry. It is an active commitment, manifesting through continuous, principled action.60

Endnotes

• 59

  American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Our Common Purpose, 66.

• 60

  Justin Gest and Tyler Reny, What Promotes Pluralism in America’s Diversifying Democracy? (New York: New Pluralists, June 2023).