Civic Engagement

What is civic engagement

Civic engagement is the means by which the citizens involve themselves in the life of the community so as to improve the conditions for other people or rather help shape the future of their community. In addition, it is a way of making transformation in lives of the people in the communities hence evolving the amalgamation of information, abilities, morals, and incentive to create the transformation. Examples of civic engagement involve volunteering at an itinerant shelter, engaging in politics and many more activities in the society. This paper is set to look at the importance of civic engagement to a society that has a republican form of government.

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The key to civic engagement is to improve the lives of other people no matter what you are involved; thus, this requires one to take risks, to have integrity, courteousness, deeply hold principles, and the truthfulness. Moreover, the social responsibility in the public community involves identical civil rights and duties for all. This means that the public is bound together by the relationship they have amongst them. They interrelate as equivalents not as bosses or governors or rather political solicitors (Carnegie, 1889).

Civic engagement examples

Additionally, there is hope, cohesion, and tolerance whereby the people are ‘helpful, and trustful to one another, even when they differ on matters of substance.’ Putnam (1993: 88).This does not mean that there is no conflict in the society but rather they use methods such as dialogue for the respect they have for each other and recognizing that they are reliant on each other in so many different ways. This greatly helps in making sure that there is unity amongst themselves and that they can overcome any challenge as one.

The rules and the values of local community are exemplified in and protected by the idiosyncratic societal structures and practices (Putnam (1993: 89). This enhances cooperation and participation in them, which helps in developing the skills of collective responsibility and involving their selves with the wide political systems (Papacharissi, 2010).

References

Putnam, R. D. (1995). Bowling alone: America's declining social capital. Journal of democracy, 6(1), 65-78.

<http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/assoc/bowling.html>

Carnegie, A. (1889). Wealth. The North American Review, 148(391), 653-664.

<https://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/rbannis1/AIH19th/Carnegie.html>

Papacharissi, Z. (Ed.). (2010). A networked self: Identity, community, and culture on social network sites. Routledge.