Showing titles in Civics & Citizenship

This book outlines the problems with our democracy. It shows how to fix them.

In a country of critics and where shouting and snarky tweets dominate public communication, neighborliness is in short supply. Duct-tape Community - Hope for Neighborliness in an Unequal World finds it in the most unexpected places, from public housing janitors to farmers in overalls.

Our economy is on the move, fueled by revolutions in energy, immigration, innovation, big data, and advanced manufacturing. America's energy independence has set off shockwaves. Just as important are the social transformations that are making the country ever more racially and culturally diverse, younger, and a home to immigrants. While most other countries struggle profoundly with immigration and religious and racial differences, America is on a path to multicultural identity.

As a young woman, Democratic congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked her grandmother for career advice. She was shocked by the reply: "Get married." Though much has changed for women since then, more has remained the same. On a January night in 2008, Maloney and her daughter attended a Hillary Clinton rally in New Hampshire. Men in the audience held "Iron My Shirt" posters aloft. This small incident provoked outrage, but it provided an important peephole onto larger problems that women face today.

With almost 20 million listeners on more than six hundred stations, Rush Limbaugh is the leading and most dangerous figure in the conservative movement today. John K. Wilson uses the most effective strategy of all—Rush’s own words—to show how Limbaugh’s flagrant disregard for the truth and penchant for savage personal attacks laced with racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs have held the political arena hostage.

A collection of writings from the author that were previously published in Lola Magazine in Louisiana. The collection covers a wide range of topics from education and learning issues to citizenship and character. As a reading and dyslexia specialist as well as a Board Certified Cognitive Specialist who owns her own business, Donesa Walker shares from a wealth of experience and knowledgeable expertise.

Anything that alienates and divides us leaves us weak and exposed to disaster. Simple human compassion is more essential to our national resilience and strength than most of us recognize. Shallow values won’t suffice as the foundation of our social and cultural infrastructure. With anecdotes and unexpected stories about growing up during the '60s and '70s in Los Angeles and from her work in disaster recovery, Diane Burden Cox illustrates the importance of our relationships with each other to our national resilience.

Most people don’t disengage because they don’t care. They disengage because caring becomes exhausting. From Apathy to Activism is not a call to outrage, ideology, or constant urgency. It is a clear-eyed examination of how people move from withdrawal to participation—and, more importantly, what allows that participation to last. Grounded in psychology and real-world experience, this book explores why engagement so often fades after the initial spark, and what supports sustained involvement when progress is slow, conflict is present, and outcomes remain uncertain. It looks closely at ...

The Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, narrated by Marcus Locke, is a thought-provoking essay that explores the individual's moral responsibility to resist unjust government actions. Written in 1849, Thoreau's work has become a cornerstone of political philosophy, advocating for peaceful protest and nonviolent resistance to oppressive authority. Thoreau emphasizes the importance of following one's conscience over conforming to laws that violate fundamental human rights.

What does it mean to be a millennial in this chaotic world? Beyond Snapchat and Tinder, the consumerist culture we’ve inherited, and quarter-life crises, can a millennial aspire to more? Alison Lea Sher argues, yes, we can! Packing herself up in an RV, Sher embarks on a road trip, interviewing 150 of her millennial peers as they begin their adult lives. From kids heading straight to Wall Street after college, to those sleeping on it, Sher asks: “Who are you; what should you do; and how can you step into your destiny as a stakeholder in society?”

Government and market failures spur many citizens to practical action today. Around the globe people form renewable energy cooperatives, provide support for marginalized populations, and deliver alternative justice and care services. What motivates citizens to begin such practical problem-solving? How do they engage others? What knowledge do they generate? How do they interact with state and market actors? What risks and opportunities do they hold for contemporary democracy? 

Ethical leadership, steeped in integrity and fairness, matters. The future of our nation and our world depends upon the quality of America's character. In this uncompromising, absorbing look at our government and society today, Jill Long Thompson persuasively argues that we all have a meaningful role to play in shaping America's character and future. The citizenry, as well as their elected officials, are responsible for protecting fairness of participation and integrity in elections, as well as in the adoption and execution of laws.

In this book, Thibault introduces us to the political "5-3-5 framework" and the V3SM "V3 story model". No, this is not about cars, but it will definitely ignite your engine and get you moving in the right direction. The political game will take what used to be very complex, supercharge your policy engine, and within 15 minutes, if you can't nail an issue and get on course, then you really don't have an issue to worry about. When you succeed at policy, the benefits can be tremendous. Are you game?

Crowdsourcing is a term that was coined in 2006 to describe how the commercial sector was beginning to outsource problems or tasks to the public through an open call for solutions over the internet or social media. Crowdsourcing works to generate new ideas or develop innovative solutions to problems by drawing on the wisdom of the many rather than the few.

Die Welt ist zum Verändern da, nicht zum Ertragen. Früher war die Zukunft besser. Heute scheint keiner zu glauben, dass es unseren Kindern mal besser gehen wird. Muss das so sein? Muss es nicht! Der Soziologe und erprobte Zukunftsarchitekt Harald Welzer entwirft uns eine gute, eine mögliche Zukunft: Darin gibt es Städte ohne Autos, Schulen ohne Gebäude, die Menschen erhalten ein Grundeinkommen, und Grenzen gibt es auch nicht mehr. Erfrischend und ermutigend zeigt Welzer: Die vielbeschworene Alternativlosigkeit ist in Wahrheit nur Phantasielosigkeit.

Veteran community organizer Paul Born's work has contributed to lowering cancer rates in Maine, improving mental health for young people in Florida, and reducing poverty rates in Canada by 20 percent. In this much-needed new book, he shares stories of how he was able to catalyze local communities and guide them to make significant progress on seemingly intractable community problems.

O crescimento exponencial do movimento evangélico no Brasil tem chamado atenção da grande imprensa e da academia. Por anos, as menções aos evangélicos seguiram estereótipos que nitidamente não davam conta de retratar com fidelidade um segmento tão diverso. O alinhamento político de pastores midiáticos e episódios controversos envolvendo políticos evangélicos reforçaram o preconceito contra todo um segmento. Além disso, estimativas de que a população evangélica se torne maioria no Brasil vêm gerando debates acalorados.

Jamaica’s exquisite beauty that encompasses verdant hillsides, rolling plains, pristine coastal areas dotted with white-sand beaches incessantly caressed by the wind and bathed by turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, plus the ‘Irie vibes’ of Jamaicans collectively conspire to make the Island a unique place on planet Earth. Political independence from Britain in 1962 ignited hope of a better future for all Jamaicans. Indeed, Jamaica made significant early progress and was regarded as the ‘Pearl of the Caribbean’ and a positive example for newly-independent countries. Alas, there ...

Women are wildly underrepresented at every level of the US government: federal, state, and local. Research has shown that women in executive government positions are far more likely than men to commit to policies that benefit women, girls, and other marginalized groups, so after centuries of underrepresentation, it's clear: Our best bet for creating a system that is more fair, balanced, and just for everyone is electing our first Madam President - as soon as we can.

You've been asked your opinion of the electoral college. All you know is you didn't go there. You need the facts. Fast. With this audio program, you can become an Instant Genius on the subject of The Constitution in about an hour.