James Madison Center for Civic Engagement: Democracy Matters

Artists use so many different mediums to comment on their surroundings, some use it as an opportunity to make a statement on current events and government action. Photographer and activist, Pato Hebert, sits down with …

Dr. Barbara Schaal, Dean of Arts and Sciences and Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor Professor of Biology at the Washington University in St. …

From teaching information literacy, to providing community gathering spaces, to fostering access to information, to connecting people with each other, and more, James Madison University Librarians Kristen Shuyler and …

Two questions animate our work: What if? How so? The work of imagining is something we should take very seriously in civic engagement. It's difficult …

Communities around the world are demanding full participation in every step of the research process, from identifying the issues to be looked at, to …

Academic communities can be major drivers of civic engagement and critical thought around major issues. JMU Senior Ethan Gardner talks with Anna Williams and Yeimy Gamez Castillo, two students from the Rutgers-Newark …

John Dewey said that "Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife." Although people who go to college are slightly …

Student attention is a scarce commodity. What are the best opportunities for capturing student attention to engage them in civic learning and …

From Richmond to the West Bank, from Kentucky to Tanzania, photography has the potential to communicate lived experiences and complex social issues to those in power. In this episode, we talk with internationally …

What is inclusion and how can inclusive music contribute to a culture of democratic engagement through authentic experiences of participatory …

2019-2020 marks the 100th anniversary since the passage and ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution which articulated that, "The …

Although there have been many advancements since the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, there is much to be done to improve the status of women, including among other things: ending sex-based …

History doesn't always move toward the inclusion of groups. Sometimes rights can be lost as well as gained. Take, for example, the American …

In this episode, we talk with Ian Simmons, the Founder and President of the Foundation for Civic Leadership and a member of the Madison Center's advisory board, about best practices and promising projects for enhancing …

Community banks are vital to the American economy and society. In this episode, we talk with JMU College of Business Finance Professor Dr. Carl …

In this episode, we talk with JMU School of Media Arts and Design Assistant Professor Ryan Alessi about the best strategies for evaluating political …

What do high levels of distrust and socioeconomic and political inequality portend for democracy and civility? In this episode we talk with Dr. …

In 1897, W.E.B Du Bois wrote, 'Then it dawned upon me with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others; or like, mayhap, in heart and life and longing, but shut out from their world by a vast veil." In …

In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation with James Madison University President Jonathan R. Alger about what kind of leadership is needing during a global crisis and what it has been like to make important …

As more states prepare for primaries and as the nation plans for the November 2020 general elections, how should candidates approach campaigning and …

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Census faced serious challenges to achieving a complete and accurate count because of politics, budget …

Democracy is very much a collective activity. Inside, we come together to debate, discuss, do the work of government, and make laws. Outside, we …

As headlines declare relations between the United States and China have sunk to a new low, we talk with China expert and James Madison University …

In this episode, we talk with Virginia State Senator Scott Surovell (JMU, '93; UVA Law, '96), the Senate Democratic Whip, about what happened in the 2020 legislative session, election reform, options for voting during …

We are experiencing a global migration and refugees crisis with nearly 71 million people who have fled their homes worldwide, the highest number since World War II. In this episode, we talk about the crisis and what can …

The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have brought attention to the racist policies and systems that engender …

Have you ever felt like you were wasting your vote on a candidate because you could only choose one candidate on the ballot and wondered if there is …

In this episode we hear music, spoken word, poetry, and discussion about the role of arts as a means for education, agency and expression of …

This episode features a conversation with Semaj Sorhaindo, JMU Football Student-Athlete; Nikki Oppenheimer, JMU Women's Basketball Student-Athlete; Arthur Moats, JMU alumn and linebacker for the Buffalo Bills, …

In his new book, Democracy in One Book Or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn't, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think, David Litt addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing democracy, including partisan …

In this episode, we talk with Virginia House of Delegates Representative Schuyler VanValkenburg about civics education, changes in Virginia voting laws, vote-by-mail, redistricting reform on the ballot this November and …

It's probably safe to say that Bo Copley never expected to run for U.S. Senate. A lifelong resident of Mingo County, West Virginia, Copley worked in the coal industry for 11 years until he was laid off on September 18, …

"The American presidency is in trouble," says CBS News correspondent John Dickerson in his new book, The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency. "It is overburdened, misunderstood, an almost impossible job to …

Amidst the COVID-19 public health crisis, many are pondering how we can have safe, secure elections this year while also ensuring access. In this …

This episode features the audio from JMU Civic's virtual town hall with Libertarian Party presidential candidate Dr. Jo Jorgensen. We discuss a range …

Are you feeling anxious, fatigued, worried, angry or hopeful about the election? In this episode we talk with Dr. Benjamin Blankenship, assistant …

"Always remember-you're a Madison. You come from African slaves and a president." Dr. Bettye Kearse joins us for a discussion about her new book, The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family.

See …

As part of Global Climate Change Week encouraging academic communities to engage with each other, their communities, and policy makers on climate …

How should we view the 2020 elections in the broader arc of American political history? What are some key questions we should be considering for …

In this episode, students in our Elections 2020 class interview Chris Piper, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections, about how the pandemic has affected election administration this year; historic levels …

What does civil discourse mean to students? How can we have hard conversations in such a divisive political climate when the stakes are so high? In …

Leading up to the 2020 elections, there are over 260 lawsuits in the courts about who can vote, when ballots can be cast and by when they must be counted. In this episode, we talk with SCOTUSblog reporter and Supreme …

In this episode of Democracy Matters, we talk with Dr. Mildred García, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities …

Americans today live shorter, sicker lives than people in other developed countries, and, across the nation, health varies by income, education, race and ethnicity, and geography. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Linda …

How have changes in the media ecosystem impacted knowledge of issues and informed participation in elections? How did media coverage of the 2020 elections compare to 2016? Why is there so much distrust in the news …

Should we be concerned about how legal challenges made by President Trump's campaign to challenge results in key states combined with the spread of …

Is the United States a democracy? Is representative government failing the American people? In this episode, we talk with former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel about how bringing the people directly into the operations of …

Dr. Melinda Adams, Associate Dean of JMU's College of Arts and Letters, discusses democratic transitions, what to expect in policy approaches to …

Relying on executive authority and issuing 400 executive actions on immigration, the Trump adminsitration implemented policies on a wide range of …

In an essay published posthumously, civil rights icon and Member of Congress John Lewis, wrote, "Democracy Is Not A State. It Is An Act." The team at the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement reflects on 2020 and …

In this episode of Democracy Matters, James Madison University History and Political Science faculty experts explain the ongoing insurrection, and …

In this episode, we talk with Ethan Zuckerman, associate professor of public policy, communication and information at the University of Massachusetts …

Does President Joe Biden have a mandate to enact his policies and agenda? Why are presidents drawn to mandate rhetoric? What can we learn from …

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kristin Wylie, associate professor of political science at James Madison University, about political violence …

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Charley Willison, a National Institutes of Mental Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard University Department …

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, there is a record number of women serving in the 117th Congress. We talk with Dr. Kira Sanbonmatsu, …

The theme of Earth Day 2021 is action on Climate Change. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Tobias Gerken, assistant professor in the School of …

"America is on the move again," declared President Joe Biden in a joint session of Congress on April 28, 2021 and on the eve of the 100th day of his …

In this episode we talk with Walter Shaub, who leads the Ethics and Accountability Initiative at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), about what elected and other government officials, and the public can do to …

In this episode, we talk with Jim Acosta, CNN anchor for weekend programming and the network's chief domestic correspondent, about the critical role …

Why do we have to run an obstacle course when we go to vote every two years in federal elections? How can Congress strengthen American democratic …

For World Refugee Day, we talk with Jana Mason, Senior External Relations Advisor at the Washington, D.C. office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR-the UN Refugee Agency) about the root causes …

Julio Rank Wright, Deputy Regional Director for Latin America at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins us to discuss the growing …

In this episode, Diego F. Salinas, a JMU alum and our 20-21 Woodson Martin Democracy Fellow, reads his essay on E-Carceration and the Price of the American Dream.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee ruling, we are left asking what is a usual or unusual burden to voting …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and explore the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and explore the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and explore the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and explore the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

In this episode, we talk with Steven R. Shapiro, the former Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, the nation's oldest and largest …

In this episode, Terry Kessler shares his experiences, including two tours of duty as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Terry attended James Madison University where he was commissioned through ROTC as a Medical Service …

In this episode we talk with Dr. Jon A. Krosnick from Stanford University about how we can make elections more fair.

See the show notes with links mentioned in this episode at …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and explore the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 extremist terrorist attacks on the United States driven by Usama bin Ladin. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Philip Zelikow, who served as the executive …

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United states and explored the consequences of the U.S. response, the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement and JMU X-Labs have …

How did the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States impact the criminal legal system? What are the challenges of litigating national security and terrorism cases? How did 9/11 and subsequent national …

"In an era of high geographic polarization and historically low ticket-splitting, meaning that people know well in advance of an election who they …

Dr. Terri Rodzevik served in the United States Army Nurse Corps from 2004-2009 with two deployments to Iraq, including to Tikrit and Baghdad. She currently serves in the United States Public Health Service as a …

Lt. Col. Dan Maurer, a JMU alum, Judge Advocate, an Assistant Professor of Law at U.S. Military Academy at Westpoint and a Fellow with the Modern War …

For Constitution Day 2021 and to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution, we talk with Carolyn …

"There are many ways to serve our democracy. Get informed, get educated, do something that matters to you." In this episode, Major Robert Kennedy, who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, shares his experiences …

"I was shocked by the speed at which the Taliban was able to retake control...It makes me wonder about political and military decisions that have …

In this episode, we talk with Lieutenant Colonel Nick Swayne, who served in the Army for 26 years and deployed to Bosnia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In …

In this episode, we talk with Jim Biddle who graduated from JMU's College of Business in 2005. After completing ROTC training and commissioning into …

David Trouille, an Associate Professor of Sociology at James Madison University, discusses his new book, Futbol in the Park: Immigrants, Soccer, and …

Afghanistan has a rich history of self-determination and has long served as an international crossroads of cultural, economic and political activity. …

As part of our 9/11 at 20 series, Nicolle Johnson shares her experiences from deployments to Iraq. On strengthening democracy, she concludes: "Vote. …

Trigger Warning: This episode and associated images contain information regarding violence and hate aimed against Black Americans. In this episode, …

As part of our 9/11 at 20 series, Ryan Powell, JMU Sociology '07 alum shares his experiences from two deployments to Iraq. He says "Strengthening …

The challenges facing democracy around the world are daunting, especially as global conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to the erosion of civil liberties, the postponement of elections and the spread of …

In this episode, we talk with Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, JMU Health Sciences '05, about his experiences fighting for democracy on January 6, …

As the COP26 summit convenes in Glasgow to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate …

What has contributed to the rise of political engagement among young adults? Drs. Laurie Rice and Kenneth Moffett, Professors of Political Science at …

More sub-Saharan Africans live under fully or partially authoritarian states today than at most points in the last two decades. In its 2021 report, …

"We don't have a choice," says David J. Toscano about the critical need to bring policymakers and people together to solve pressing public problems …

As part of our 9/11 at 20 series, we talk with MAJ (R) Shawn Pardee, who deployed twice to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On what we can do to …

"Social change cannot happen with a bulldozer. It takes moments of awareness building," says Christy Vines, President and CEO of Ideos institute. …

"If we start creating compassionate ways of understanding and connecting with one another, then we will have the permanent motivation to live up to our espoused and aspirational ideals as a democracy," says Dr. Gail …

"Afghanistan could have been a successful case of state building, but the failure of the U.S. and international community to implement accountability …

As part of the 12th Annual African, African American and Diaspora Studies (AAAD) Interdisciplinary Conference in 2022, JMU Civic and Furious Flower …

Dr. Oren Baruch Stier, Director of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Program and Professor of Religious Studies in the Steven J. Green School of …

Daniel Beers, Colleen Moore, John Hulsey and Bernie Kaussler join us to provide historical and political context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine …

"Art can create the space, set the tone, to not even acknowledge power and to create a world for ourselves," says Aram Han Sifuentes, a fiber and social practice artist, writer, and educator who works to center …

What role can and should investors play in strengthening democracy? Ian Simmons, Co-Founder and Principal of Blue Haven Initiative, discusses impact …

In this episode of Democracy Matters, we speak with Dr. Laura Edwards, who is a legal historian and professor at Princeton University to discuss how …

In this episode, Madison Center for Civic Engagement Democracy Fellow Leia Surovell interviews the new interim Executive Director, Dr. David Kirkpatrick and the new interim Associate Director Dr. Kara Dillard about …

March 6-10th is National Civics Education Week and on this episode of Democracy Matters, we're exploring youth civic education. We talk with Dr. …

It feels like free speech has become the number one issue confronting higher education today. Campuses are now hotbeds of discontent. Students are sitting in, protesting questionable speakers on campus. State elected …

Germany has a history of being at the center of global debates about democracy. As Europe again finds itself dealing with democracy in crisis, this time with Russia's war against Ukraine, Minister Counselor Markus …

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the tensions between expertise and democratic decision-making during the pandemic, and his advice for navigating apathy and misinformation during the next major …