Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey assess a significant development in American higher education.
In crafting its new college-ranking system, City Journal has made the unusual—but, we believe, wise—choice to reward institutions that host a School of Civic Thought on campus. But what are Schools of Civic Thought, and why should parents and students consider their presence (or absence) when choosing where to enroll?
“Civic thought” refers to a rapidly growing field of study that focuses on the human capacity for thinking and acting as citizens. Human beings are born into cultural and political worlds woven by previous generations, and are obliged to understand, preserve, and improve upon this inheritance. But most contemporary universities don’t provide the opportunity to study the arts of self-governance.
Enter the Schools of Civic Thought. Schools of Civic Thought are entirely new academic units, with the same powers as other departments, dedicated to offering university-level civic education. Since citizenship is always exercised in a particular time and place, their curricula focus on the American political tradition. …
… Most of these schools contextualize the development of American ideals and institutions within a broader framework about the challenge of governing ourselves. The School of Civic Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin, for example, requires majors to take a course in “Perennial Problems in Civic Thought.” Such a broad vantage makes sense; after all, human self-government stretches back through British constitutionalism to classical republicanism, which itself has roots in a story that spans East and West.
Some Schools of Civic Thought are integrating the social sciences into their offerings. …
… Finally, Schools of Civic Thought often host civil discourse programs, which help students learn to talk about our most divisive political problems. These are essential, since a well-formed citizen must learn to navigate pluralism.
