Describes how people become politically engaged, how they build civic communities, and how they generate political energy or public will. This book argues that political discussion is the doorway into politics. It explains what a democratic citizenry must do if representative government is to perform effectively.
Drawing on the practical experience of a wide variety of civic groups, David Mathews explores how individuals and communities can create a politics relevant to their everyday lives. This second edition of Mathews's work includes a new chapter on the National Issues Forums, convened in settings ranging from libraries to churches to prisons to promote greater public involvement in politics.
