American colleges and universities are facing a civic imperative. The nation is floundering, if not unwinding. Democracies are vulnerable social constructions. They flourish in eras of social consensus and economic prosperity, when citizens believe in the prospect of brighter futures. They stumble, if not decay, during times of harsh economic…

The presidential and vice-presidential debates organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates have been among the most-viewed television programs in history. But much has changed since the debates were first televised in 1960. Information channels that were once the domain of traditional media (i.e., television and print journalism) are being…

Chronicles the process of reforming the liberal education program at Franklin Pierce College (New Hampshire), organized around the theme of the individual and community. Discusses objectives in integrating the "civic arts" into the core curriculum and challenges encountered in balancing "individual" and "community"…