The Creek Will Rise
Interns in South Bend, Indiana, first collaborated to help restore a polluted neighborhood waterway. Then the project grew into something bigger. A Field Report from the Winter 2020 issue.
Civic Engagement Social innovations that enrich society and enhance democratic participation
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Problems of Power
It is often tempting to try to solve problems by looking for policy fixes, new technologies, and informational solutions, instead of addressing underlying power dynamics.
Opening Public Contracting to Citizen Participation
By understanding the impact of public contracting on their daily lives, citizens become more aware of the need for transparency and accountability. A Viewpoint from the Winter 2020 issue.
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Reclaiming Civil Society
Organizers renew democracy by building the capacity it requires. Part of the Winter 2020 issue's Realizing Democracy supplement funded by the Ford Foundation.
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People Power
Powerful organization, rather than efficient mobilization, is the way to re-center people in our political life. Part of the Winter 2020 issue's Realizing Democracy supplement funded by the Ford Foundation.
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The Curb-Cut Effect
Laws and programs designed to benefit vulnerable groups, such as the disabled or people of color, often end up benefiting all of society.
Stop Raising Awareness Already
It’s time for activists and organizations to adopt a more strategic approach to public interest communications.
Protest Movements Could Be More Effective Than the Best Charities
To do as much good as possible with limited resources, funders should look to woefully underfunded protest movements.
Community Engagement Matters (Now More Than Ever)
In adopting data-driven practices, leaders must design and implement programs in ways that engage community members directly in the work of social change.
Inside Switzerland’s Radical Drug Policy Innovation
A look at how Switzerland radically and successfully changed its approach to drug policy following a heroin epidemic in the late 1980s and 90s, and what the effort teaches us about the social innovation process.