About
Emory's Center for Civic Reasoning is a faculty-led initiative that prepares students for democratic citizenship. Through curricular and co-curricular programming, the Center develops the skills to understand why thoughtful people disagree—and to engage that disagreement constructively.
Alongside its courses, the Center hosts visiting speakers, debate and dialogue events, and experiential learning opportunities. The Center also offers training for faculty to integrate civil discourse, constructive disagreement, and civics education into their teaching.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, Emory’s Center for Civic Reasoning offers programming on both the Atlanta and Oxford campuses and engages faculty, undergraduates, and graduate and professional students across the University.
“We aren’t debating values. We’re teaching students to consider the real effects of a policy on the world so they can see why that policy matters.”
Why Civic Reasoning?
Meaningful participation in society is the goal of civic reasoning. Students learn to engage with the people and policies affecting their lives and to have productive conversations with those who hold differing viewpoints.
Civic reasoning is grounded in logical argument, factual evidence, intellectual curiosity, and open-minded dialogue.
Through guided discussion and engagement with diverse perspectives, students build durable habits: weighing evidence, articulating views they do not hold, and finding room for compromise.
“The focus is on public policy and opening civil debate and dialogue in the classroom. We want students to see positions from different sides. We want students to hear liberal arguments and conservative arguments in a way that a liberal and a conservative would understand, not a caricature.”
Contact Us
Co-Director of the Center for Civic Reasoning, Associate Professor of Data and Decision Sciences and Political Science
Co-Director of the Center for Civic Reasoning, Masse-Martin NEH Professor of Political Science