Assessing the Civic Campus: The Link between Higher Education and Democracy

The link between higher education and participation in and attitudes toward democracy is well-documented in the literature. Those with a college degree are more likely to vote, more civically active, and politically knowledgeable. They are also less likely to favor authoritarian political stances. While the aspects of higher education--whether instruction in critical thinking, service-learning opportunities, enhanced economic stability, or upward mobility--that lead to these outcomes are less clear, it is clear that higher education can play a fundamental role in upholding democracy and shaping informed, active citizens, and postsecondary education is often cited as a significant factor in shaping the civic fabric of society. Yet in recent decades, observers have voiced concerns about the dearth of college courses that deal with topics related to civics or fundamental concepts of a democratic and free society. Notably, "A Crucible Moment," a 2012 report by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, issued a national call to action aimed to "reclaim and reinvest in the fundamental civic and democratic mission of schools and of all sectors within higher education." Furthermore, political polarization, mis/disinformation, censorship, and uncivil discourse have turned academic campuses into proxy settings where these larger political battles are increasing in prevalence and frequency. Against this backdrop, Ithaka S+R, in collaboration with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, undertook a research project focused on the link between higher education, civic engagement, and democratic attitudes and behaviors. Below, we present a landscape review of the relevant literature on the topic, guided by the following research questions: (1) What is the impact of postsecondary education on civic engagement and democratic attitudes and behaviors?; (2) How have researchers defined, operationalized, and measured civic engagement in the context of higher education?; (3) How are postsecondary institutions and key stakeholders institutionalizing civic engagement as part of their curricular and co-curricular programming? In our landscape review, drawing on studies from the past few decades, we focus on how researchers and practitioners define civic engagement, the nature of the relationship between higher education and civic behaviors and attitudes, the differential impact of civic education on different groups, and the effectiveness of different types of civic engagement programming. Below we present our key findings and areas of strategic priority for higher education institutions, as well as directions for future research.