About
CIVICS INITIATIVE
The Civics initiative aims to foster a deeper understanding of civic life and social contracts through interdisciplinary education and dialogue.
MISSION & VISION
LSP 275 reimagines civics education by centering lived experience, interdisciplinary inquiry, and the social contract. Through reflective dialogue, analysis of foundational texts, and exposure to diverse perspectives, this course empowers students to understand their role in civic life and to engage constructively across ideological differences. We aim to create classroom spaces where students and educators co-learn, challenge assumptions, and work toward a more equitable and connected society.
CURRICULUM
LSP 275 – Lived Civics, the Social Contract and Public Life introduces students to foundational civic concepts through an interdisciplinary lens. The curriculum blends classical political theory, such as the U.S. Constitution and the writings of Rousseau and Locke, with historical case studies like the Civil Rights Movement. The course explores how identity, community, and power shape our roles in public life.
CONNECTION
LSP 275 fosters connection by encouraging participants to engage with diverse perspectives and share their own stories. Through dialogue, group activities, and community-focused projects, they can build relationships across differences and explore how personal and collective experiences shape public life. These connections extend beyond the classroom, helping teachers and students better understand their role in a shared democracy.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Tenure-line and term faculty from all units in the University are eligible to apply.
LEARNING CIVICS, LIVING DEMOCRACY
By creating a classroom environment that fosters productive and honest discussions, both students and educators can learn from one another regarding how our interactions with politics can be vastly different and shape the way we function day-to-day. These discussions serve to provide real-life examples of civic experiences and perspectives that can expose students in ways that they might not have the opportunity outside of the classroom.
By drawing on founding documents such as the U.S. Constitution, philosophical works from figures like Rosseau and Locke, and historical events like the Civil Rights Movement, LSP 275 utilizes both scholastic material, student testimony, and an interdisciplinary focus on behalf of our Teacher Scholars to reach our goal of an impactful civics course at DePaul.
SUMMER COURSE: LSP 275
LSP 275 – Lived Civics, the Social Contract & Public Life was inspired by the work of many educators who aim to create an impactful and efficient civics curriculum for students in America. Our team was fortunate enough to be awarded a grant from the Teagle Foundation in May of 2020 to make this curriculum possible.
LSP 275 focuses on incorporating lived civics and the social contract within the classroom. With polarization seeming to only increase within our political climate, it has become essential to create a curriculum that assists students in their understanding of civics, the role of the government, the role of residents and citizens, and how our individual experience shape how we interact with these realities.
First Session 2022
In Fall 2022, Professor Molly Andolina piloted the first LSP 275 course with a small group of students.
Class discussions focused on sharing and analyzing lived civic experiences across different backgrounds.
Students compared perspectives from Chicago and other regions, uncovering both similarities and contrasts.
With shared viewpoints common, Prof. Andolina introduced alternative perspectives to broaden thinking.
A key goal was helping students recognize and listen to diverse civic experiences.
The course emphasized building understanding across both like-minded and differing ideologies.
This pilot laid the foundation for fostering open-minded, inclusive civic dialogue in the classroom.