CLOSUP's Stephanie Leiser, Debra Horner, and Natalie Fitzpatrick discuss the Michigan Public Policy Survey and how it has shown that, although there is concerns over the state of democracy in the United States, democracy remains strong at the local l...
Officials across Michigan report alarming declines of engagement with their constituents despite more widespread use of various outreach methods and activities in the latest installment of the Michigan Public Policy Survey.
Early this week, Ford School economist Justin Wolfers delivered the Australian Broadcast Corporation’s annual Boyer Lecture. For 66 years, the Boyer Lecture has brought leaders in policymaking and academia together to discuss the challenging, endurin...
July 4, 2026, will mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. democracy. To mark this milestone, the Initiative for Democracy and Civic Engagement, the William L. Clements Library, and the Arts Initiative have joined forces to create U-M’s U.S. at 250 progra...
The University of Michigan is wrapping the Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement, a campuswide initiative to strengthen democratic practices and encourage active civic participation. But its work isn’t slowing.
Celebrated, Emmy Award-winning TV producer (Queer Eye), bestselling author, and host of the popular podcast Getting Curious, Jonathan Van Ness, who identifies as non-binary, has used their platform to champion a range of social issues close to their ...
Rusty Hills has taught nearly 1,000 students in the 20 years he's been teaching the art and science of political campaigning. Winning campaigns require strategy, voter insight, compelling communication, and a well-executed plan, he tells students. A ...
The University of Michigan is launching the Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement, a campuswide presidential initiative to strengthen democratic practices and encourage active civic participation. “As we approach a pivotal elect...
Turn Up Turnout is a student-led, nonpartisan organization that increases voter registration and turnout for college students. Created by Edie Goldenberg, professor emerita of public policy and political science, Turn Up Turnout works to educate stud...
Student organization WeListen was featured in a WDIV ClickOnDetroit story titled "Meet the students leading tough dialogue at the University of Michigan," by Meredith Bruckner. In the article, recent Ford School graduate Gabriel Lerner (BA '18) and E...
Mary Morgan, executive director of the CivCity Initiative, joined WEMU’s David Fair this Monday for an on-air discussion of local civic engagement. Among the topics discussed: New findings from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), a biannual sur...
At a time when many of us are concerned about the strength of democracy in the U.S. and around the world, CLOSUP's research tells us that democracy remains strongest at the local level. Every day, in jurisdictions across the state, local officials interact with residents to help determine community priorities, allocate funds for services, hear complaints and resolve disputes, register voters, and much more.
This fall the University of Michigan will explore the topics of debate, civic engagement, and democracy with a special theme semester. In this video, Dean Michael Barr from the Ford School of Public Policy discusses some of the things he's most looki...
