Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy
Overview
Overview
Overview
The Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) promotes lifelong development of the skills and capacities necessary for democracy. We bring together scholars, civil servants, community activists, education practitioners, and those who have an interest in promoting civic learning in their spheres of influence.
History
Overview
Overview
The Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) is a continuation of the Summer Institute of Civic Studies, an annual 10-day residential retreat facilitated by Peter Levine and Karol Soltan at Tufts University 2009-2018, and also in Germany and Ukraine from 2015-2019, facilitated by Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert.
Programs
Publications
Publications
The Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy offers educational programs that bring together international groups of practitioners, graduate students, and scholars from diverse professions and fields of study. In these intensive retreats, participants stay in the same hotel and participate in workshops, planning sessions, and social events throughout the retreat.
Publications
Publications
Publications
BOOKS PUBLISHING IN 2025
Learning for Democracy: A Framework for Adult Civic Learning
Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert & Chad Hoggan
Springer Nature
Overview
The Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) promotes lifelong development of the skills and capacities necessary for democracy. We achieve this by bringing together scholars, civil servants, community activists, education practitioners, and others who have an interest in promoting civic learning in their various spheres of influence.
The driving premise behind our work is that democracy is not merely a form of government, but rather an overarching way of living together, where citizens co-create their shared social and political environments. Participating in such co-creation is demanding. Democracy thrives only when individuals continually engage in learning and development.
The ICSLD envisions a world where every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to actively engage in democratic processes and contribute to the betterment of society. We aspire to contribute to this vision by creating a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners who embrace democracy as a way of life, understand its complexities, and are committed to nurturing its ideals. The Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy is committed to making this vision a reality by providing a platform for knowledge research, dialogue, collaboration, and action. We aspire to be at the forefront of promoting democratic values and nurturing responsible and informed citizens as co-creators of their environments with the aim of the betterment of our societies.
In the current global landscape, the urgency of the work of ICSLD is underscored by the imperative need to fortify democracy and encourage civic-minded perspectives on a global scale. As our world witnesses a concerning decline in democratic values and practices, the ICSLD recognizes the critical need for a continual revitalization of democracy.
History
The Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) is a continuation of the Summer Institute of Civic Studies, an annual 10-day residential retreat facilitated by Peter Levine and Karol Soltan at Tufts University 2009-2018, and also in Germany and Ukraine from 2015-2019, facilitated by Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert.
These institutes have brought together over 300 participants to study, discuss, learn, plan, and to collaboratively enact projects centered on the promotion of civic capacities. This tradition has always emphasized interdisciplinary approaches and focused on bringing together internationally diverse groups of participants to promote a diversity of perspectives.
These retreats have been held annually since 2009 (with the exception of 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Locations have included:
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Tufts University)
- Augsburg, Germany (Katholic Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt & University of Augsburg)
- Czernowitz, Ukraine (University of Czernowitz)
- Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA (James Madison University).
Programs
The Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy offers educational programs that bring together international groups of practitioners, graduate students, and scholars from diverse professions and fields of study. In these intensive retreats, participants stay in the same hotel and participate in workshops, planning sessions, and social events all day and evening throughout the retreat.
This program deals with issues related to the development of civic society, the role of the individual/citizen in society, the role of education in promoting democracy, the role of institutions in the development of a civic society, and similar questions. These topics are examined in international and comparative perspectives.
The ICSLD engages participants in challenging discussions such as:
- What kinds of citizens do democracies need?
- What do citizens need to know and be able to do in order to participate effectively in democratic society?
- What practices and institutional structures promote effective adult civic learning?
- What ought to be the relationships among empirical evidence, ethics, and strategy?
- How can we learn from influential theorists and practitioners at important turning points in history?
We offer this program in three formats.
- As an open-application, 10-day residential retreat at our headquarters in Augsburg, Germany. For these, a Call for Applications is distributed and from those, 20-22 participants are selected. We actively seek a geographically diverse pool and normally have at least 8 countries represented. These events normally include: scholars, civic activists, graduate students, politicians, and others who are interested in promoting civic participation in their various spheres of influence. In addition to learning and discussion wide-ranging theories and concepts related to civic life, participants discuss, plan, and create plans to enact collaborative projects.
- As an invited event at hosting institutions worldwide. For these events, we customize our normal 10-day residential retreat to fits the needs of the hosting institution. Typically, these institutions are universities or civically-oriented organizations. We help plan the event, co-design the curriculum, and provide and/or train the facilitators.
- As a study abroad program for either undergraduate or graduate students. We converted our traditional retreat into a turnkey, 10-day study abroad program in Augsburg, Germany, on the topic: “Learning for Democracy and Social Change.” We coordinate local logistics (e.g., transportation, excursions, hotel reservations) and provide documentation required by the institution’s study abroad office (e.g., safety assessments, emergency plans). Excursions include the Dachau concentration camp, the Nazi Rally Grounds and Propaganda Museum, and the Nuremberg War Trials Museum. We work with the institution’s instructor to customize the curriculum to meet their requirements and then co-teach the course with them.
If you are interested in attending an open event, hosting an event at your institution, or collaborating on a study abroad program:
Publications
Journal: The Good Society
The Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) puts out an academic journal: The Good Society: A Journal of Civic Studies.
Editors:
- Chad Hoggan, North Carolina State University
- Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert, University of Augsburg, Germany
- Kara Dillard, James Madison University
Managing Editor:
- Laura Bernhard, North Carolina State University
Publisher:
- Penn State University Press
Institutional Home:
- James Madison University
Books by ICSLD Authors
