CBL Civic Enagement

At its core, civic engagement is defined as "the interaction of citizens with their society and their government." Portland State University has expounded on this idea to create a definition of civic engagement tailored to the PSU motto of "Let Knowledge Serve the City." At PSU, civic engagment is defined as "active involvement in the discourse dealing with the need to develop and utilize knowledge for the improvement of society, to use talents and offer wisdom for the greater good, and to provide opportunities for education in the spirit of a democratic society. A civically educated and engaged citizen is one who is skilled in coalition-building, collaboration, negotiation and synthesis of multiple perspectives" (PSU Delphi process, March 2001).

Although the meaning of civic engagement can vary widely, there are common themes consistent to nearly all definitions:

  • Civic engagement is active participation (interaction, involvement, participation)
  • Civic engagement is focused on community (society, public, government, common good)
  • Civic engagement is manifested through a variety of activities, including (but not limited to) voting, coalition building, political involvement, community service, dialogue and relationship building, etc.

Just as there are common themes throughout the varying definitions of civic engagement, there are also common characteristics of what constitutes an "engaged citizen". An engaged citizen:

  • recognizes himself or herself as a member of a larger social fabric and the sees the value of every person
  • considers social problems to be at least partly his or her own and addresses society's problems in an informed manner
  • is willing to see the moral and civic dimensions of issues
  • involves the community in decision-making processes
  • questions governmental policies and practices and determines ways to alter public policy
  • provides the time, attention, understanding and action to further collective civic goals

(List adapted from Gottlieb, Karla & Robinson (2002). A Practical Guide for Integrating Civic Responsibility Into the Curriculum. Community College Press: Washington D.C.)

Please visit the following links for a variety of information regarding civic engagement at both the regional and national levels:

Civic Engagement Awards

Regional Civic Engagement - A listing of civic engagement-related organizations at the state and local levels

National Civic Engagement - A listing of civic engagment-related organizations across the nation, and a continually updated calendar of civic engagement and community-based learning conferences and events

Civic Leadership Minor - Developed through a collaboration between the Public Administration Division of the Hatfield School of Govenrment, the Center for Academic Excellence, and faculty from a wide array of disciplines, the Civic Leadership Minor is intended to create a curricular focus for students who have an interest in civic leadership and community service.

2005 American Democracy Project - A panel of engaged staff, faculty and students delivered a plenary address regarding institutionalization of civic engagement at Portland State University. View the PowerPoint slideshow and a bibliography of associated resources.

2006 Civic Engagement Awards - To showcase and celebrate the civic engagement efforts of PSU faculty, departmental or programmatic units, and community based partners, the PSU Center for Academic Excellence recognizes exemplary civic engagement efforts.

Civic Engagement Research and Publications - A clearinghouse of articles, lectures, presentations, etc. relating to the various dimensions of civic engagment.