The call to promote social justice sets the social work profession in a political context. In an effort to enhance social workers' preparedness to engage in political advocacy, this article calls on educators to integrate a broad theoretical understanding of power into social policy curricula. We suggest the use of a multidimensional…

The National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), launched by the Kettering Foundation in 1980, provides an opportunity for the engaged university to foster public deliberation with its students and alumni, as well as leaders in the communities where it operates. NIFI publishes three issue books per year on topics of national importance. These…

Defines citizenship and makes a case for turning it into a crusade. (JOW)

Describes the efforts of civic, educational, and scholarly groups organized in 1981 to develop a better system for educating citizens about public policy--the National Issues Forum. (PD)

To represent adequately the general public interest, it is crucial that the quality of citizen participation on boards of directors of community mental health agencies be improved. This can be achieved by providing board members, through training, with appropriate knowledge and skills. This article describes one such training program. (Author)

This study investigates the relationship between change in public affairs participation and involvement in a leadership development program for young adults in Pennsylvania at high and low socioeconomic-status levels. It was concluded that leadership development mediates the familiar relationship between public affairs participation and…

This case study of a commission charged with studying consolidation of two Minnesota towns illustrates the processes of identifying research needs, citizen participation in research, education of the public, and decision making on a highly controversial public issue. (SK)

The U.S. Constitution bicentennial celebrations across the state of Virginia have contributed to greater public understanding of the Constitution and enhanced appreciation of the immense contribution that Virginians made to the document. Virginians have discovered that the story of the U.S. founding is also a Virginia story. Even after the…

A look at an experiment carried out by the University of Pittsburg, dealing with citizen access of commercial television time. (HB)

Available data and selected literature were examined to identify key questions to guide future research and practice in community leadership development. Questions pertaining to (1) how programs influence participation in public affairs, (2) institutional advocacy in public affairs education, and (3) the design of rural and agricultural leadership…

This article examines the comparative impact of leadership development programs in two states on changes in the involvement of male and female participants in public affairs. Overall, both male and female participants in programs that lasted for two years or longer had increases in participation in instrumental organizations. (Author/CT)

Describes major events and conferences leading to the formation of a national association that would identify critical issues facing the nation and, through its National Issues Forum, would create a new kind of citizens' dialogue based on informed public discussion of national issues. (PD)

Adult educators can succeed as public policy educators with these principles: (1) trust in democracy, (2) believe that effective policy improvement can be taught, (3) teach about policy issues, (4) develop a knowledge base, (5) do not advocate a particular policy, (6) promote local leadership, (7) cultivate a supportive institution, and (8) be…

A comparison of urban planners and adult educators; the findings were interpreted as suggesting major differences between the two groups." (Author/SP)