Civic health is the manner in which communities come together to define and address public problems. Whether the issue is affordable housing, decreased funding for schools, an aging population, failing infrastructure, or racial inequities, the problems are big, complicated and not easily solved. Further, individuals within communities may have different views on, and be affected differently, by the issues. Is the civic health where we live strong enough to help our community do the hard work that needs to be done?
Asking and considering this question has never been more important than it is in 2025, when we see record levels of public distrust in key institutions, polarization among our community members, decline in local media, and serious questions about the strength of democracy worldwide.
Speaker Information: Mary Beth Collins (JD, MA) is the Executive Director of the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies.
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