“Political discussion has always been seen as a best practice of civic education,” Matto said. “There’s plenty of solid research that demonstrates that campuses that have a culture in which students are often given opportunities or find themselves in political discussions … can be an enriching learning experience.”
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Nicholas Longo
Rehearsing Democracy: Helping Rutgers Students Move from Thinking to Doing
Dean Stuart Shapiro sits down with Nicholas Longo, director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab, to talk about building a “rehearsal space for democracy” at Rutgers. They dig into the crisis facing democracy today: polarization, eroding trust, and isolation — and how student-driven civic engagement can help meet it.
University Graduate Shifts From Student Leader to Civic Educator
“I am so excited to see Rida continue to create spaces for young people to be change agents in this new role,” said Longo, noting how Kadri’s role as a civic educator builds on her studies and engagement as a student at Rutgers.
Freedom House and Rutgers Democracy Lab Announce New Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Democracy and Freedom Online
“This partnership enables the Rutgers Democracy Lab’s Technology and Democracy Research Hub to bring students and leading researchers together to understand threats that come from a global resurgence in authoritarianism,” said Nicholas Longo, Director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab. “It will build young people’s ability to be engaged democratic citizens.”
Longo Encourages a Shift from Speaking out to Listening
Longo continued: “I actually think every social movement starts with people sitting in a circle talking to each other, and especially talking to people that they disagree with. It actually is and can be radical.”
Longo & Matto: The forgotten lesson from 1776 that could rescue democracy in 2026
If we want to build citizens rather than subjects, civic education must be pursued with intention and purpose. If we do, young people will be at the forefront of building the democracy we need.
Bloustein School Announces Faculty Promotions for Smart and Longo
Promotions reflect the high standards of teaching and research for which the Bloustein School is known.
Engaged citizens built America. Today, civics education is coming back.
“We need to figure out how to find common ground,” Professor Longo says. “So I think there’s some basic civic skills that we all need to have. And it should be built into our educational settings. How do you get good as a musician, as an athlete? You get good through practice.”
‘Radical’ model pays off at college for adults with some credits
“Places where people live and work, like barber shops, libraries and workplaces, can also be sites for higher learning. Learning was already happening in these places; CU is just helping to make it valued in a more formal way to make it work towards a degree.”
Rutgers teaches conversation skills to address political polarization | Opinion
In the entryway of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, the Rutgers Democracy Lab recently launched a “democracy wall” project that poses thought‑provoking questions and invites students to respond.