 |
|
 |
|||
 |
|||||
|
|
 |
FAQs about Civic ReflectionWhat happens in civic reflection? What kinds of groups will this be helpful to? What are some obstacles to civic reflection and what can we do about them? What is the role of the text in civic reflection? Do we always have to read a text in advance? Can real-world issues be examined effectively through works of fiction? How can we find the right text? What is the role of the discussion leader in civic reflection? Who should convene a conversation? Should there be separate discussions for trustees and staff? Executive and other staff? Ours is a group of women. Should we read texts by women only? Briefly, what is the history of this idea called civic reflection? AnswersIn a nutshell, civic reflection is reading, thinking and talking with each other about our life in community and four fundamental human activities that nourish that life: giving, serving, associating and leading. [ Top ]
Groups of people gather in a hospitable way for conversation about a short reading that raises fundamental questions about some aspect of their civic activity. As people read and talk, they draw on their experiences and values to understand the text, and they draw on the ideas, questions and values illuminated by their conversations to think about their real-life civic activities and challenges. [ Top ]
In our experience, civic reflection can be helpful to any group of civically engaged people, from staff and trustees of a single organization, to philanthropic or nonprofit leaders, to donors and volunteers in a common geographical area or field of work, to young people exploring the call to service or their relations to their neighbors and neighborhood. The possible audiences for civic reflection are as numerous as the ways in which citizens give… serve… lead… and associate. [ Top]
First, civic reflection is organized around basic questions about civic activity such as, Whom do we serve? What do we expect of those we serve? To whom are we accountable? Conversations are not focused on a particular book, theory, "hot" public issue, or group task. Second, conversations about a group's activities are framed by a reading in literature or nonfiction that is somewhat removed from the direct experience of the members. Nonprofit executives, philanthropic leaders, community organizers and social service providers all have various and specific "literatures of attention" in their respective fields that are useful and with which people are familiar. In civic reflection, the aim is to provide opportunities for a different kind of attention to familiar work, a kind of attention that imaginative literature or carefully chosen non-fiction from a different era or angle of vision can provide. [ Top ]
Many people are reluctant to enter into reading and discussion, for three main reasons:
These are reasonable fears. What can we do to allay these fears?
The use of readings is vital for two reasons. One reason is substantive, the other practical. First, good texts deepen understanding and imagination, connecting participants with a larger world of ideas and with people in other times and places who have struggled with similar questions. Second, readings provide a fresh and neutral common point of reference, allowing conversation to move beyond private experience, professional expertise or settled opinion. [ Top ]
No! See our Short List of readings you can use on the spot, along with some questions for discussion. A good short text and carefully considered open-ended questions can generate robust conversation. Sometimes, "less is more!" [ Top ]
Yes! Imaginative literature can make an important contribution to our understanding of real life, civic and otherwise. The choices and experiences of fictional characters can underscore, illuminate and clarify the choices and experiences of real people or groups. In addition to illustrating countless situations and circumstances, literature also can have a leveling effect: You don't need to be an expert in philosophy or business management to ponder the actions of a character in a short story. [ Top ]
This website is designed with your needs in mind. The Resource Library pages offer links to a wide range of potential readings. In many cases, the full texts can be downloaded directly, for free. You can search for readings using traditional library-style methods, or try the Guided Search, which uses questions about civic activity as a way of locating readings. See Choosing Materials for more ideas about finding the "right" text. [ Top ]
Discussion leaders are not teachers so much as guides through conversation. They provide guidance in three ways:
See Finding a Discussion Leader for more about discussion leaders. [ Top ]
Any organization with the capacity to provide administrative support for a series of meetings over time and sufficient cachet to bring people to the table can convene a conversation. State humanities councils, foundations, universities and nonprofit organizations have all been conveners of civic reflection. [ Top ] While preparation need not be elaborate, gathering together for a meal conveys hospitality, "setting the table," as it were. Participants welcome this less formal time together before a serious conversation. It helps people relax and signals a transition from "action" to reflection. [ Top ]
Yes–if they are led by "one of their own," if the questions are important to them, and if the readings are short, relevant and appealing. This is not to say that every leader will respond eagerly to your invitation. As with all things, some people just will not be interested. However, in our experience, even people who are at first skeptical or hesitant will come to value both the readings and conversation. [ Top ]
While initially tentative about this use of their time, boards of directors have in fact incorporated civic reflection into their work, have come to appreciate it as a regular practice and have begun to discuss their civic roles more easily. Civic reflection is practical when people can see ideas at work in their organizational activity. [ Top ]
No, as long as the ground rules for the conversation are clear. It is imperative to state at the outset that "This is a fundraising-free zone: There will be no solicitations–and no pledge card at the end!" With that rule in place, civic reflection can allow a rare and needed conversation to take place across the funding divide. It can help donors and fundraisers to talk with one another about the profound complexities of giving and receiving and to develop greater understanding of their shared work. [ Top ]
Again, this is a rare opportunity to build conversation across dividing lines about the purposes of an organization–and to help staff and trustees come to know each other in a fuller way as persons. Therefore, staff should be included if possible. At the same time, it is unwise to allow the executive director of an organization to handpick participants among senior staff. All staff at the same level of responsibility should be invited. (But be neither surprised nor dismayed if not everyone accepts.) [ Top ]
Choose your texts by your questions, not by the characteristics of the author. If your question is, What do women say about leadership? it is appropriate to use writings by women only. However, if your question is What is the nature of the non-profit sector? or How can we give well? it may not be. [ Top ]
Since 1996, a group of colleagues in philanthropy, education, nonprofit leadership and public humanities have been experimenting with something that they call civic reflection through a set of projects in different parts of the country. First (in 1996) came the Tocqueville Seminars, a national experiment in seminars for civic leaders directed by Amy Kass at The University of Chicago and funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., under the guidance of Susan Wisely. Next (in 1998) came the Project on Civic Reflection at Valparaiso University, directed by Elizabeth Lynn and also funded by Lilly Endowment. Shortly thereafter (in 1999) the Federation of State Humanities Councils began a project called the Art of Association, under the direction of Esther Mackintosh, that brought civic reflection to the boards of state humanities councils, with funding from Lilly and the Kettering Foundation. In recent years, Dorothy Schwartz and the staff of the Maine Humanities Council have launched three civic reflection projects with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: these include Literature and Medicine Seminars for hospital staff and trustees, Regional Philanthropy Seminars for the New England states, and Thoughtful Giving conversations to spur reflection on giving in Maine, Utah, and Georgia. In 2005, the National Endowment for the Humanities also extended support to the Illinois Humanities Council for "The Meaning of Service," a national reading and discussion program for youth service workers on fundamental questions about public service through philosophical examination of diverse historical and literary texts. [ Top ] |
|
 |
|
Home ·
What is Civic Reflection? ·
About the Project on Civic Reflection ·
News ·
Online Tools ·
Grants ·
Contact
© 2008 The Project on Civic Reflection · Valparaiso University · Valparaiso, Indiana |
