It鈥檚 safe to say that optimism is not the prevailing sentiment these days when it comes to American politics.
Eric Liu knows this. But in delivering the annual Phyllis L. Kossoff Lecture on Education and Policy at TC鈥檚 tenth annual Academic Festival on April 7th, Liu 鈥� bestselling author of You're More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change and founder of Citizen University, a national non-profit dedicated to civic engagement 鈥� energized his Cowin Center audience by powerfully arguing the opposite case: That this is a time of great promise for American democratic renewal, and that all of us 鈥� particularly in the education community 鈥� have power to enact change.
精东影业 itself, Liu pointed out, was established at the height of the Gilded Age, a period similarly characterized by economic disparities and massive dislocation. Yet TC鈥檚 founders had 鈥渢he audacity to imagine that a teachers鈥� college, steeped in practical methods and rooted in the life of the city could help educate the poor and thus redeem the American promise.鈥� Time and again since then, Liu pointed out, difficult periods have produced civic progress.
鈥淢astery of power without character makes you a highly skilled sociopath...Power does not corrupt so much as it reveals character.鈥�
Now, with American democracy undergoing 鈥渟elf-inflicted fragility鈥� 鈥� which, Liu was careful to note, has roots far deeper than just the 2016 election 鈥� we may, in fact, have embarked on a 鈥済reat civic awakening: a revival of democratic practice and values.鈥�
Liu, who also directs the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program, was awarded TC鈥檚 Presidential Medal of Excellence by President Susan Fuhrman.
鈥淢r. Liu has taken on one of today鈥檚 most urgent causes: the development of a stronger culture of citizenship through education,鈥� Fuhrman said. Bill Gaudelli, Professor of Social Studies and Education, presented Liu with a citation, telling him that 鈥測our call for civic participation is clearly the message for this politically charged moment in our nation鈥檚 history.鈥�
At the core of Liu鈥檚 message was a rejection of a zero-sum vision of public life. 鈥淏ig Citizenship,鈥� meaning a belief in and engagement with democracy, as opposed to merely owning nationality papers, stems from power and character. Power is 鈥渁rgued,鈥� he said; it should be sought without euphemism or apology. But its exercise requires consideration of others, ethics, responsibility. 鈥淢astery of power without character makes you a highly skilled sociopath,鈥� he said, adding that 鈥減ower does not corrupt so much as it reveals character.鈥�
鈥淭he immune system of the body politic is kicking in. But going from acute illness to chronic illness isn鈥檛 going to cut it. We need a renewal.鈥�
The good news, Liu said, is that power is not a finite commodity. 鈥淚t is possible to generate it out of thin air, through the magic act of organizing.鈥� He pointed to the young students in Parkland, Florida, who responded to the horrific shooting at their high school by sparking a national mobilization. He praised teachers in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma campaigning for better pay and investment in schools. 鈥淭hey have rediscovered power that they did not think they had.
As for character, Liu said, it is true that many of the voices who harp on the theme are in fact 鈥渓oud-mouthed hypocrites.鈥� But their hypocrisy only compounds the responsibility of those in a position to foster the development of ethical traits.
The Seattle-based Citizen University, which Liu founded, champions 鈥減owerful citizenship.鈥� It runs programs with an unabashed ritual aspect, such as Civic Saturdays 鈥� church-like gatherings where people hear 鈥渃ivic sermons,鈥� share readings, and exchange ideas on democratic values 鈥� and Joy of Voting, a mini-festival that elevates that fundamental participatory act. And it partners with other organizations to help activate their audiences and turn ideas into deeds that strengthen community.
鈥淓very teacher is a civics teacher. If you are not teaching power as an educator, you are committing professional malpractice.鈥�
Ultimately, Liu argued, promoting powerful citizenship can and should be everyone鈥檚 mission 鈥� but particularly that of educators. He commended the rise of 鈥渁ction civics鈥� in schools and said that everyone should become involved, irrespective of subject or grade. 鈥淓very teacher is a civics teacher,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you are not teaching power as an educator, you are committing professional malpractice.鈥�
Today, Liu said, the state of national politics is sparking a major surge of grassroots civic engagement. The challenge now is to build on that important start. 鈥淭he immune system of the body politic is kicking in,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut going from acute illness to chronic illness isn鈥檛 going to cut it. We need a renewal.鈥� He pointed out that each day offers fresh material: the #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter, the growing debate over Facebook and how technology platforms manipulate our trust.
Educators are essential to our civic revival, in Liu鈥檚 view. And from John Dewey to Shirley Chisholm, 精东影业 has historically offered some of the best role models. 鈥淒emocracy, like teaching, is an act of faith,鈥� Liu said in closing. 鈥淵ou are the product of this great lineage. Now go and pass it on.鈥�