The first-ever report on the civic health of the state of Alabama.
Click here for the full 2011 Alabama Civic Health Index
About the Partners:
National Conference on Citizenship
At the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), we believe everyone has the power to make a difference in how their community and country thrive.
We are a dynamic, nonpartisan nonprofit working at the forefront of our nation’s civic life. We continuously explore what shapes today’s citizenry, define the evolving role of the individual in our democracy, and uncover ways to motivate greater participation. Through our events, research and reports, NCoC expands our nation’s contemporary understanding of what it means to be a citizen. We seek new ideas and approaches for creating greater civic health and vitality throughout the United States.
The University of Alabama – New College
New College is the University of Alabama’s commitment to providing personalized higher education for those students who need and desire that special attention. New College is an interdisciplinary liberal arts program where students craft individualized courses of study consistent with their interests, aptitude, temperament, and skills. Each student, with the assistance of a faculty mentor, builds a course of study that includes traditional coursework, community-based learning, undergraduate research opportunities, and self-directed study. We believe our emphasis on student choice and responsibility promotes the creativity, flexibility, and adaptability necessary for effective participation in the emergent communities of the future.
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life
The David Mathews Center for Civic Life is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that works with citizens who want to make positive, innovative decisions that lead to action in their communities on issues that concern them. The primary work of the Center is to encourage sustainable community practices that are aimed at building and preserving a healthy democracy. The Center takes a non-advocacy, non-partisan approach to facilitating the important work that citizens must do to maintain a civic environment that promotes engagement. The David Mathews Center honors the life and work of David Mathews, a native of Grove Hill, Alabama and President and CEO of the Kettering Foundation in Dayton, Ohio.
Auburn University – College of Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, comprised of thirteen academic departments and the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, is home to nearly 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The College fosters a community in which students, faculty, and administration have an understanding of the human condition, a respect for individual and cultural differences, and a desire for the free exchange of ideas.
About the Authors:
Ashley Kontos is Director of Community Based Research for New College at the University of Alabama.
Matt Edinger, Laura Morgan, Lin Wang, and Matt Woods are interns for the David Mathews Center for Civic Life at the University of Alabama.
Chris McCauley is Executive Director at the David Mathews Center for Civic Life.
Dr. Mark Wilson is Director of Civic Learning Initiatives in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University.