Civility: Finding the Common Good in a Fragmented World – Week Two – What Does it Mean to Be a Civil Society? Podcast – Video & Audio, and Reflective Guide

The Aldea community continues the series this week: Civility: Finding the common good in a fragmented world. Today explore a conversation with Robert Boatright. We consider what it means to be a civil society, the role of incivility, the affects of social media, the influence of extreme viewpoints, and the elements that make up a civil society. 

I am a professor of political science at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.  I teach courses on American political behavior, political parties, campaigns and elections, interest groups, political participation, and political theory.  I am chairing the department through 2021. In addition to my work at Clark, I am also the director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse Research Network at the University of Arizona.

I have taught at Clark since 2005.  Before that, I taught at Swarthmore College and I worked as a research fellow at the Campaign Finance Institute, as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow, and as a research associate at the American Judicature Society.  I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, received my B.A from Carleton College, and received my Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. In addition to my work at Clark, I am also the director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse Research Network at the University of Arizona.

Viewing and Listening Options

You can control the pacing of the experience by stopping and advancing the videos as you see fit. After you watch, download the guide and use it as an on ramp for personal reflection or group discussion. Don’t feel like you have to cover everything in the guide or even watch the entire video. Watch what you can and find the helpful elements on the guide. The guide is meant to stimulate thoughts and conversation. Use it to support your own exploration.