Event: Students from colleges and universities throughout Texas will convene at The University of Texas at Austin to engage with the minds behind new ideas that are shaping civic engagement in the 21st century.
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12.
Where: Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, Bass Lecture Hall, 2315 Red River St.
Background: The United States finds itself in a precarious position. Compared with their parents, young people demonstrate declining rates of interest in public affairs, have fewer political discussions and are less likely to trust their fellow citizens or feel pride or obligation in American citizenship.
Since 2003, the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Participation’s New Politics Forum has impacted the lives of more than 1,800 young people. The New Politics Forum shares political knowledge with young people, on a strictly nonpartisan basis, by bringing students into contact with experienced political professionals, members of the working press and university researchers. Students get a practical and well-rounded education that will provide a solid foundation for work in politics.
The New Politics Forum “21st Century Civic Engagement” will feature leaders from the Citizen Engagement Laboratory, Code for America, Bootstrap Austin Network, SeeClickFix and Students of the World engaging with students interested in civic participation in this one-day, nonpartisan conference featuring panel discussions and case studies. Topics include:
- 21st Century Landscape: Redesigning Civic Participation (9 a.m.)
- New Platforms: Using Technology for Public Service and Governance (10:30 a.m.)
- Social Innovation: Getting Your Ideas off the Ground (12:30 p.m.)
- Openness: Empowering Communities through Online Transparency (1:45 p.m.)
- Global Citizenship: Using Photojournalism and Videos to Engage (3:30 p.m.)
- Creating the Roadmap with the White House Office of Public Engagement (4:45 p.m.)
More information is available at www.newpoliticsforum.org.
This event is sponsored by the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation, the LBJ School of Public Affairs’ Center for Politics and Governance and the Dell Social Innovation Challenge.
