Overview

"With a government plagued by systemic ills and deep ideological divides, democracy, as we know it, is in jeopardy. Yet, ironically, voter apathy remains prevalent and evidence suggests standard civic education has done little to instill a sense of civic duty in the American public. While some are waiting for change to come from within, trying to influence already polarized voters, or counting down the days until the ""next election,"" leading child and adolescent development experts Daniel Hart and James Youniss are looking to another solution: America's youth.In Renewing Democracy in Young America, Hart and Youniss examine the widening generation gap, the concentration of wealth in pockets of the US, and the polarized political climate, and they arrive at a compelling solution to some of the most hotly contested issues of our time. The future of democracy depends on the American people seeing citizenship as a long-term psychological identity, and thus it is critical that youth have the opportunity to act as citizens during the time of their identity formation. Proposing that 16- and 17-year-olds be able to vote in municipal elections and suggesting that schools create science-based, community-oriented environmental engagement programs, the authors expound that by engaging youth through direct citizen-participatory experiences, we can successfully create active and committed citizens. Political scientists, media commentators, and citizens alike agree that democratic processes are broken across the nation, but we cannot stop at simply showing that our political system is dysfunctional. Refreshingly lucid and unabashedly hopeful, Renewing Democracy in Young America is an impeccably timed call to action."

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9780190641481

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Two of todays great scholars of youth civic engagement have assembled a powerful argument that the next generation can restore our republicbut only if we change how we envision youth development and ensure that all young people have civic opportunities. This exemplary work is essential reading for experts, leaders in government and the nonprofit sector, and active citizens. * Peter Levine, Associate Dean, Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University * Hart and Youniss synthesize a broad interdisciplinary literature, arguing that expanding opportunities for youth participation can renew our democracy. Their proposals are creative, practical, and built on evidence: Renew civic life through environmental engagement and lower the voting age to increase participation. Looking for a vision of hope for our fraying political life? Read this book! * Constance A. Flanagan, Vaughan Bascom Professor of Women, Family, and Community and Associate Dean, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison *

Civic education, alone, is not the panacea; students need the chance to use their skills and see what they can do to contribute to the public good. The authors conclude that something has to be done now, such as promoting civics in schools and lowering the voting age. Their work should be taken seriously for all who care about the future of the country...Highly recommended. * CHOICE *

Author Information

Daniel Hart, EdD, is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Faculty Director of the Institute for Effective Education at Rutgers University. Hart's research focuses on adolescent development in context. He has studied the development of civic life, including political knowledge, volunteering, social trust, and activism as well as the effects of different kinds of neighborhoods on personality and moral development. Currently, Hart is providing the technical and professional assistance for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Next Generation of Community Leaders initiative, which funds youth-led community development projects in communities throughout New Jersey. James Youniss, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. He has studied children's and youth's normal development for 57 years. His most recent research focuses on political and civic development looking at activities and experiences that cultivate youth's identities as political-civic members of society.

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