Councils Kick Off Hundreds of Democracy and the Informed Citizen Programs in 2018
The Federation of State Humanities Councils is awarding forty-nine state humanities councils funds from its Democracy and the Informed Citizen grant. Throughout 2018, these programs will examine the connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. They will work to increase media literacy in communities by engaging people in conversation with Pulitzer Prize winners, other respected journalists, and scholars regarding reliable and unreliable sources of information. In addition, some programs will explore obstacles and potential solutions to sustaining high-quality journalism, particularly local journalism.
“Being an informed citizen takes on varying forms, from being engaged with your community to identifying what constitutes a credible source to understanding context surrounding today’s issues,” said Esther Mackintosh, Federation President. “The councils are uniquely and ideally suited to offer programs exploring this topic because they not only have a deep understanding of the characters and concerns of their state, but also a distinguished record in using the humanities to bring people together to explore difficult topics.”
Programs range from community conversations to public forums and lectures, teacher institutes to student workshops, and from broadcasts, podcasts, and livestream events to environmental hikes and public summits. Within the diverse formats, subjects, and audiences, is the common exploration of what it means to be an informed citizen in today’s society.
Follow the conversation and join in using #HumCitizen.
