Civic Purpose

Civic Learning must happen at all stages of a young person’s development to ensure future generations are well-informed, productively engaged, and hopeful about democracy.

This article, “Civic Purpose: An Integrated Construct for Understanding Civic Development in Adolescence,” from Karger introduces the concept of civic purpose as a way to track civic learning in adolescents.

Civic purpose, defined as a sustained intention to contribute to the world beyond the self through civic or political action, integrates the components of motivation, civic activity, and future-oriented civic intention. Results point to identity salience, beliefs and values, and invitation from one or more adults as key drivers in the development of civic purpose.