Evidence for "learning by doing" - civic education by participating in local government

[Carolina Johnson]

Hi all,

I could use some help from the collective civic studies wisdom: I've been presented with a challenge to provide 'social scientific' empirical evidence for the Tocqueville/Dewey arguments that people learn to be democratic citizens through participating in local government, attending public meetings etc.  I'm struggling more than I expected to identify good empirical studies providing such evidence - any suggestions?

I have plenty of evidence for specific instances of high-quality dialogue/deliberation, less for engagement with local government generally.  This may be illuminating in its own right.

Thanks!

Carolina

--
Carolina S. Johnson
Political Science Ph.D. Candidate
University of Washington
csj...@uw.edu

[Levine, Peter L]

Carolina,

 

Could you use this book on juries to help make the case?

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Jury-Democracy-Deliberation-Participation/dp/0195377311

 

There is also some good stuff in this new edited volume:

 

http://global.oup.com/academic/product/democracy-in-motion-9780199899265;jsessionid=966283DD1AA8CD193C92EDEA8EA3A6CB?cc=us&lang=en&

 

Peter

 

--

Peter Levine

Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs

Director of CIRCLE: the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement

Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service

Tufts University

Lincoln Filene Hall

Medford, MA 02155-7028

617-627-2302

Peter....@Tufts.edu

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[Marin, Aurora]

Lin Ostrom's work is empirical.  Studies are examining Natural Resource Management at the local level, and typically provide a rich history in the interactions of citizens & local government officials and agencies as well as document a variety of public forums & meetings through observation & interviews.  

http://www.indiana.edu/~workshop/publications/articles/reprints.php

Aurora Marin

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From: civics...@googlegroups.com [civics...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Carolina Johnson [csj...@uw.edu]
Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2013 9:38 PMhttp://www.indiana.edu/~workshop/publications/articles/reprints.php

To: civics...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Civic Studies] Evidence for "learning by doing" - civic education by participating in local government

[Caitlyn Horose]

It has been a while since I read this book, but I think the arguments related to civic competency might offer relevant (and empirical) evidence for this argument: Citizen Competence and Democratic Institutions by Elkin and Soltan.  You can view a good portion of it though Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-mq4m4MgJ7IC&lpg=PA1&ots=ZwNe3Zt-p5&dq=Citizen%20Competence%20and%20Democratic%20Institutions&lr&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Caitlyn Horose

CommunityMatters Fellow

The Orton Family Foundation

cho...@orton.org

[Karol E. Soltan]

Hi,
I seem to have misplaced my copy of that volume. But I remember a chapter in it by Jane Mansbridge that might be especially relevant.
Karol Soltan

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From: civics...@googlegroups.com [civics...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Caitlyn Horose [cait...@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 10:50 AM
To: civics...@googlegroups.com
Cc: csjo...@uw.edu
Subject: Re: [Civic Studies] Evidence for "learning by doing" - civic education by participating in local government

[Paul Baumann]

Have you checked the Handbook of Research on Civic Engagement in Youth, edited by Sherrod, Torney-Purta, & Flanagan, published in 2010?  I imagine there'd be something in there if anything  exists. My copy is in my office, and I am out until Monday, but I'd be happy to look for you. Contact me directly if you'd like for me to do so.

Sent from my iPad

[Carolina Johnson]

This list is an awesome resource! Thanks for all your replies,  I think I'm sorted for the matter at hand now (it was a rather isolated question), but many of your suggestions are useful for my own research as well.  I seem to recall the Mansbridge chapter could be relevant, but I'm travelling at the moment and will look it up when I get home.

Thanks again,

Carolina

On Fri, Sep 6, 2013 at 5:19 PM, Patterson, Tina <kp...@email.unc.edu> wrote:

 Hi,

I know I have some empirical studies on youth "learning by doing" by participating in local government.  I'll send them as soon as I get home.

 

I can't seem to post to the civic studies group, unfortunately.  I get the messages, but I get a rude message whenever I try to post.

 

-tina

 

Kristina Patterson

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Doctoral Student, Department of Public Policy
Research Fellow, Education Policy Initiative at Carolina, Carolina Institute for Public Policy

 

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From: civics...@googlegroups.com [civics...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Carolina Johnson [csj...@uw.edu]

Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2013 9:38 PM

To: civics...@googlegroups.com

Subject: [Civic Studies] Evidence for "learning by doing" - civic education by participating in local government

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