Last summer we launched the LA Civics Initiative – a collaboration with City Impact Lab meant to start a conversation about civic participation in Los Angeles. Through collaborative projects and workshops, we sought to figure out how the city’s residents can become more civically-minded as well as civically-active. Living in a representative democracy, most citizens…
Americans are fed up. The government is not living up to their expectations. Trust is deteriorating every year.
Donald Trump rode this wave of dissatisfaction all the way to the Oval Office. But does he really understand why citizens are dissatisfied? Do citizens themselves understand why the government appears to be failing them?
In this episode, we question these perceptions—and the solutions they imply—with Gregg Van Ryzin, Professor and Interim Dean of the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark.
“What strikes me is that you’re tremendous social pioneers,” Bostic said. “You’ve taken ideas and really implemented them with the explicit design to get different people into the mix and the conversation.”
In our latest event in the Leading from the West series, we brought in chef Roy Choi and philanthropic foundation executive Tara Roth to discuss how building a community online translates to real-life engagement.
First year MPP student, Jue Song, details her experience learning about protests in the United States in her first post for Bedrosian Center.
New to America, one of the things that simultaneously fascinates me as much as it puzzles me, are the student protests. When I see students marching in the street, burning flags, and criticizing the government, I am shocked. Why are there so many protests? Why do so many students participate in protests?
Social media is reshaping the way that Americans consume news and engage with current events. With the rise of smartphones and almost constant access to Internet, social media users can access the digital space to instantly share news stories, images, or videos and participate in political discussions on their respective network pages. According to Pew…
Jordan Barkin, writer at The Huffington Post, mentioned the partnership between the USC Bedrosian Center and the City Impact Lab in a post titled “Local Partnerships Can Save America.” Americans disappointed by the outcome of the 2016 presidential election can find comfort in local partnerships that help bring America together. The ‘think local’ movement that…
U.S. News & World Report quoted Jody Armour in an article titled “Black Lives Groups Brace for ‘Law and Order’ Under Trump.” The piece speculates about how President-elect Donald Trump’s administration will investigate claims of unconstitutional police practices. “They would probably send the Department of Justice out to investigate fewer claims of police departments engaging…
Karina Macias is working to make a difference in Huntington Park. Voted in as mayor in 2014, she has the distinction of being the youngest mayor in the long history of the city. With civic engagement as a top priority, Mayor Macias established the Huntington Park Youth Commission to develop the knowledge, skills, values and…
How do we learn how our government works? What is the role of the government in civic education? What is the state of civics education in the United States today, and what is being done to improve it?
Do protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline have real reason to be worried about their water? Data would suggest yes.
After the crisis in Flint, water has once again been thrust into the national spotlight because of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests, which revolve around the protection of water resources for a nearby Native American reservation. While most of us are lucky enough to not to have to worry about clean tap water or access to basic water services, the same is not true for many communities all across the United States.