As part of the Hidden Common Ground initiative with the National Issues Forums network, Public Agenda, USA TODAY and Ipsos released a new poll today showing that more Americans are ready for the US economy to reopen, but most believe it should be done slowly to avoid spreading the virus.

How do people learn to become democratic citizens? One area of Kettering research explores how schools can provide a space for young people to learn about their roles as citizens in a democracy and engage in the practice of deliberative politics. In this video, Lisa Strahley, Director of the Civic Engagement Center and Chair of Early Childhood & Teacher Education at SUNY Broome Community College, shares why she thinks introducing teachers and students to deliberative decision making is so important.

In response to setting new directions for in-person forums during our current climate, several National Issues Forums (NIF) partners have successfully convened virtual face-to-face forums using the Zoom platform.  We are happy to be able to share their experiences and some materials and tips about convening a deliberative face-to-face online forum using a platform like Zoom. You can watch the one-hour May 11, 2020 webinar that featured tips, resources and more, for convening and moderating an online deliberative forum.

The National Issues Forums Institute, Public Agenda, USA TODAY, and other partners are collaborating on Hidden Common Ground (HCG), which focuses on areas of agreement among the public on solutions to tough public problems during the election year. The HCG work on health care included traditional focus groups, deliberative focus groups, and a national survey conducted by Public Agenda in late 2019 as well as a series of in-person and online forums convened in the NIF network.