Common Purpose | Our Common Purpose Report

Common Purpose | Our Common Purpose Report
A project of the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Our Common Purpose
Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship
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American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Table of Contents
A Letter from the President of the American Academy
Introduction
Overview of Strategies and Recommendations
The Challenges
The Way Forward: Essential Reinvention of American Constitutional Democracy
Strategy 1
Achieve Equality of Voice and Representation
Strategy 2
Empower Voters
Strategy 3
Ensure the Responsiveness of Political Institutions
Strategy 4
Dramatically Expand Civic Bridging Capacity
Strategy 5
Build Civic Information Architecture that Supports Common Purpose
Strategy 6
Inspire a Culture of Commitment to American Constitutional Democracy and One Another
Conclusion
Appendix A: Key Terms
Appendix B: Description of Listening Sessions
Appendix C: Acknowledgments
Appendix D: Members of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship
The Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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Nuestro propósito común (Spanish) - PDF
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Our Common Purpose (English) - ODT
(10.77 MB)
Topics
Democracy & Justice
Related
Project
Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship
The bipartisan Commission issued
Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
to both strengthen institutions and bolster civil society. Work is underway to advance initiatives rooted in that report that will help make the nation emerge as a more resilient democracy by 2026, the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Chairs
Danielle Allen, Stephen B. Heintz, and Eric P. Liu
Democracy & Justice
Publications
Report
DEC 2025
Preparing Students for Civic Life: A Guide for Higher Education Leaders
Democracy & Justice
Education
Report
OCT 2025
Expanding Representation: Reinventing Congress for the 21st Century
Democracy & Justice
Report
JUL 2025
Habits of Heart and Mind: How to Fortify Civic Culture
Democracy & Justice
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Publications
Research Paper
OCT 2023
The Case for Supreme Court Term Limits
Democracy & Justice
Research Paper
DEC 2021
The Case for Enlarging the House of Representatives
Authors
Lee Drutman, Jonathan D. Cohen, Yuval Levin, and Norman Jay Ornstein
Democracy & Justice
Report
JUN 2020
Nuestro propósito común
Democracy & Justice
Research Paper
FEB 2020
The Data Driving Democracy
Author
Christina Couch
Democracy & Justice
Science & Technology
Research Paper
FEB 2020
The Political and Civic Engagement of Immigrants
Author
Caroline B. Brettell
Democracy & Justice
Global Affairs
Research Paper
OCT 2019
The Internet and Engaged Citizenship
Author
David Karpf
Democracy & Justice
Science & Technology
Show less
Events
Event
Mar 9, 2026
Civic Learning Week Reception - Sponsored by the Academy
Featuring
Danielle Allen
Philadelphia, PA
Event
Feb 24, 2026
Are You Curious about Proportional Representation?
Featuring
Colin Cole, Didi Kuo , Grant Tudor, and Gabe Lerner
Webinar
Event
Nov 5, 2025
Can Congress Better Represent Americans?
Featuring
John M. Carey, Andy Craig, Michael Li, Norman Jay Ornstein, Laurie L. Patton, and Maria Perez
Online
Show more
Events
Event
Dec 12, 2024
Our Common Purpose Champions Convening
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Stephen B. Heintz, Eric P. Liu, and Goodwin Liu
Cambridge, MA
Event
Oct 28, 2024
How to Fortify Civic Culture in America
Featuring
Ben Klutsey, Eric P. Liu, Goodwin Liu, Laurie L. Patton, and Natalie Tran
Zoom Videoconference
Event
Sep 4, 2024
Political Polarization and Political Violence
Featuring
Paige Alexander, Rachel Kleinfeld, and Marty Smith
Zoom Videoconference
Event
Jul 17, 2024
Building Demand for National Service: New Insights from Public Opinion Research
Featuring
Lisa Garcia Bedolla, Kristen Bennett, Kaira Esgate, Josh Fryday, Goodwin Liu, Doris Matsui, Pete Peterson, and Betsy Super
Virtual Event
Event
Jun 27, 2024
Supreme Court Term Limits: Rethinking Life Tenure on a Divided Court
Featuring
Kimberly Atkins Stohr, Sarah A. Binder, Stephen McAllister, and Diane P. Wood
Washington, DC
Event
Oct 25, 2023
The Legislative Path to Supreme Court Reform
Featuring
Akhil Reed Amar, Charles Fried, David W. Oxtoby, Gabe Roth , Patti B. Saris, and Kimberly Atkins Stohr
Boston, MA and Online
Event
Oct 5, 2023
Safeguarding American Democracy: Civic Literacy for a Secure Nation
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Louise Dubé, and James N. Mattis
Zoom Videoconference
Event
Jul 27, 2023
The Promise of Proportional Representation for Democracy
Featuring
Andy Craig, Steven Olikara, Norman Jay Ornstein, Alora Thomas-Lundborg, and Grant Tudor
Zoom Video Videoconference
Event
May 16, 2023
A Radical Old Idea: Expanding the U.S. House of Representatives
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Earl Blumenauer, Derek Kilmer, Yuval Levin, Norman Jay Ornstein, David W. Oxtoby, and Pete Peterson
Zoom Videoconference
Event
Feb 3, 2023
Academy Members Lunch in Phoenix
Featuring
Stephen B. Heintz and Eric P. Liu
Phoenix, AZ
Event
May 17, 2022
Bridging Divides in America
Featuring
Andy Barr, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Derek Kilmer, Farah Pandith, Laurie L. Patton, Eric P. Liu, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Apr 20, 2022
What Does it Mean to be an American? Reexamining the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
Featuring
E. J. Dionne, María Teresa Kumar, John Shattuck, Danielle Allen, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Dec 16, 2021
Should the House of Representatives Be Expanded?
Featuring
Ruth Bloch Rubin, Lee Drutman, Jonah Goldberg, Kevin Kosar, and Yuval Levin
Video Livestream
Event
Dec 1, 2021
How Higher Education Can Save American Democracy
Featuring
Melody C. Barnes, Ronald J. Daniels, Lisa Garcia Bedolla, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Jun 30, 2021
American Democracy Under Construction
Featuring
Judy Woodruff, Hahrie C. Han, Wallace B. Jefferson, Yuval Levin, Norman Jay Ornstein, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Jun 14, 2021
Reckoning with Organizational History
Featuring
Claudia Rankine, John J. DeGioia, Susan Goldberg, Brent Leggs, Ben Vinson, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
May 13, 2021
Finding a Shared Historical Narrative
Featuring
Danielle Allen
Online
Event
Apr 21, 2021
Investing in Civic Education and Our Democracy
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Shawn P. Healy, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, David McCullough III, David W. Oxtoby, and Tammy Waller
Online
Event
Apr 15, 2021
How Political Institutions Shape Outcomes and How We Might Reform Them
Featuring
Danielle Allen
Online
Event
Apr 8, 2021
“Our Towns” Virtual Screening and Q&A
Featuring
Steven Ascher, Deborah Fallows, James Mackenzie Fallows, Jeanne Jordan, Dee Davis, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Mar 24, 2021
The Ash Center Presents Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Stephen B. Heintz, Eric P. Liu, and Archon Fung
Online
Event
Mar 11, 2021
Using Civic Media to Build A Better Society
Featuring
Danielle Allen
Online
Event
Mar 10, 2021
Empathy and Our Future
Featuring
Eric P. Liu, Sherry Turkle, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Mar 3, 2021
Why America Needs Service, Now More Than Ever
Featuring
Kristen Bennett, Josh Fryday, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Darryl Lester, David W. Oxtoby, and Fareed Zakaria
Online
Event
Feb 23, 2021
American Democracy and Civic Participation in 2021: A Conversation with Danielle Allen and Eric Liu
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Helene D. Gayle, Eric P. Liu, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Oct 22, 2020
Telling Our Regional Story: The Narratives that Unite and Divide in North Carolina
Featuring
David E. Price, John Aldrich, Phoebe Stein, William Sturkey , Terry Magnuson, and Paula D. McClain
Online
Event
Oct 17, 2020
Reinventing Democracy for the 21st Century: A Humanities Day Discussion
Featuring
William G. Howell, Thomas B. Ginsburg, Tracey L. Meares, Susan Carol Stokes, Diane P. Wood, Eric Slauter, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Sep 25, 2020
Can We Rebuild Social Cohesion in the U.S.?
Featuring
David B. Brooks, Danielle Allen, Eric Klinenberg, Shaylyn Romney Garrett, and Robert David Putnam
Online
Event
Aug 24, 2020
Does Meritocracy Destroy the Common Good?
Featuring
Michael J. Sandel, Anna Deavere Smith, T.J. Jackson Lears, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Aug 19, 2020
Youth Democracy Summit
Online
Event
Jul 20, 2020
Democratic Citizenship: A Discussion with the Commission’s Leaders and Academy Members
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Stephen B. Heintz, Eric P. Liu, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
Event
Jun 11, 2020
Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
Featuring
Danielle Allen, Stephen B. Heintz, Eric P. Liu, Judy Woodruff, David B. Brooks, and David W. Oxtoby
Online
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News
Academy Article
February 19, 2026
Popular Explainer Video Builds on Academy Work
Academy Article
January 30, 2026
Democracy Initiatives at the State Level
Bulletin
Dec 2025
American Institutions, Society & the Public Good
Show more
News
In the News
December 10, 2025
Support for Enlarging the House of Representatives in the Boston Globe
Source
Boston Globe editorial
Academy Article
November 25, 2025
Update on Proportional Representation
Press Release
October 9, 2025
Publication on Expanding Representation in Congress Issued
Academy Article
July 24, 2025
Update on Federal and State Investments in Civics Education
Academy Article
May 29, 2025
Ahead of Nation's 250th, Monticello Exhibit Invites Reflection
Source
New York Times
Academy Article
May 28, 2025
Update on Ranked Choice Voting Legislation at Federal and State Levels
Academy Article
April 29, 2025
State Legislative Update: Independent Citizen-Redistricting Commissions
Bulletin
Feb 2025
Our Common Purpose Champions Convening
In the News
January 16, 2025
Poll: Voters seek overhaul of Congress for a stronger democracy
In the News
Jan 2025
How to Fix America's Two-Party Problem
Source
New York Times
Press Release
October 23, 2024
Tacoma, Washington Joins Our Common Purpose Communities Project
Press Release
September 26, 2024
Academy Releases Roadmap for Fortifying Civic Culture
Academy Article
March 29, 2024
Helping to Build Demand for National Service
Bulletin
Feb 2024
New Academy Publication Makes the Case for Supreme Court Term Limits
Academy Article
January 2023
Our Common Purpose - Reflections at the Midpoint
In the News
December 21, 2023
American democracy is cracking. These ideas could help repair it.
Source
Washington Post
In the News
November 21, 2023
David Souter showed the Supreme Court how to free itself from politics
Source
Washington Post
In the News
November 7, 2023
Massachusetts should move local elections to even-numbered years
Source
Boston Globe
Academy Article
October 26, 2023
Event Celebrates and Considers New Publication on Supreme Court Term Limits
In the News
October 25, 2023
Bipartisan Legal Scholars Urge Supreme Court To Impose 18-Year Term Limits
Source
Forbes
In the News
October 25, 2023
Law360: New Report Champions Term Limits For Supreme Court.
Source
Law360
In the News
October 25, 2023
US Judge, Scholars Urge Supreme Court Term Limits in Bipartisan Push
Source
Reuters
Academy Article
October 5, 2023
General Mattis, Civics Education, and National Security
In the News
September 27, 2023
Danielle Allen on PBS NewsHour: I’m asking the American people to claim their power.
Source
PBS NewsHour
Academy Article
August 14, 2023
Our Common Purpose Inspires Conversation Series at Ohio Senior Center
In the News
April 15, 2023
Pros and Cons of Expanding the House
Source
Congressional Digest
Bulletin
Mar 2023
Reinventing Democracy: How Hometowns Are Strengthening America
Academy Article
February 10, 2023
Discussing Democracy and Civic Renewal in Arizona: Flinn Foundation Hosts
Academy Article
December 19, 2022
Academy Hosts Conference on Reinventing Democracy at the Local Level
Press Release
December 9, 2022
The Our Common Purpose Communities Project Launches: Lexington, Kentucky Inaugurates National Initiative
Academy Article
Nov 2022
Democracy was a Big Winner in the Midterms
In the News
Nov 2022
KET Interview with Renee Shaw
Academy Article
October 27, 2022
Statement Issued in Advance of Midterm Elections
In the News
October 25, 2022
See how your votes aren’t equal
Source
CNN
Academy Article
October 21, 2022
Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship Returns to Lexington, Kentucky
In the News
October 13, 2022
It shouldn’t matter so much whether Elon Musk buys Twitter
Source
New York Times
Bulletin
Aug 2022
What Does It Mean to be an American? Reexamining the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
In the News
Aug 2022
How social media has undermined our constitutional architecture
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
May 2022
Connecting Communities: Libraries as Invisible Infrastructure
Source
NLC - National League of Cities
Academy Article
May 2022
A Convening on the Power of Civic Infrastructure: A Community Solution with National Potential
Bulletin
Feb 2022
Voices of the Future and a Youth Agenda for American Democracy
Bulletin
Feb 2022
New Academy Report Makes the Case for Enlarging the House of Representatives
Bulletin
Feb 2022
Reckoning with Organizational History
Press Release
Feb 2022
President Jimmy Carter Joins Majority of Americans in Supporting a Proposed U.S. Constitutional Amendment to Address Election Spending
In the News
Jan 2022
Should we expand the House of Representatives? The Founders thought so
Source
The Hill
In the News
Jan 2022
How to boost voter turnout to nearly 100 percent
Source
The Boston Globe
In the News
Jan 2022
Philanthropy Can Help Build a Thriving Democracy by Building Up Programs and Places That Fuel Civic Involvement
Source
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Press Release
Dec 2021
A Call to Strengthen Democracy by Enlarging the House of Representatives
In the News
December 9, 2021
One way to reform the House of Representatives? Expand it.
Source
Washington Post
Academy Article
Nov 2021
Developing a Youth Agenda for American Democracy
In the News
Nov 2021
Use infrastructure dollars to support our democracy
Source
The Hill
Press Release
NOV 5, 2021
Reimagining Our Economy: A New Commission
Press Release
OCT 27, 2021
German-American Dialogue on the Political Responsibility of Universities
In the News
Aug 2021
Political Polarization, Civility, and Deliberative Democracy: A Conversation with Carolyn Lukensmeyer
Source
Then & Now (podcast)
In the News
Aug 2021
Biden will host an international summit on ‘democratic renewal.’ He should start at home.
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Aug 2021
Advice to Leaders on Strengthening Civic Culture & Trust in Government
Source
Federalism.US
Bulletin
Jul 2021
Empathy and Our Future
Bulletin
Jul 2021
A Conversation with Architect Jeanne Gang
In the News
Jul 2021
Museums Can Renew America Through the Semiquincentennial
Source
American Alliance of Museums
In the News
Jun 2021
Joint Series on Public Governance and Civic Engagement
Source
National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
Bulletin
May 2021
Our Common Purpose in Communities Across the Country
Press Release
APR 19, 2021
Academy Receives $1M Grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund to Strengthen Democracy
In the News
Mar 2021
Cochairs Call for Expansion of U.S. ‘Civic Infrastructure’
Source
The Harvard Crimson
In the News
Mar 2021
Danielle Allen on achieving democracy’s ideals
Source
Democracy Works (podcast)
In the News
Mar 2021
AmeriCorps service nurtures professional development, civic duty
Source
The Baltimore Sun
Academy Article
MAR 16, 2021
On the Passing of Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. (1925-2021)
Bulletin
Feb 2021
Telling our Regional Story: The Narratives that Unite and Divide in North Carolina
Bulletin
Feb 2021
Does Meritocracy Destroy the Common Good?
In the News
Feb 2021
The Ambitious Plan To Save Democracy
Source
Moderate Party (podcast)
In the News
Jan 2021
No More Normal: Our Common Purpose
Source
KUNM
Academy Article
Nov 2020
Message from Our Common Purpose Cochairs Celebrating Election Workers
In the News
Nov 2020
Opinion: There is no more important step in Biden’s first 100 days than this
Source
CNN Opinion
In the News
Nov 2020
Pulling Our Politics Back from the Brink
Source
The New Yorker
In the News
Nov 2020
Democratic Citizenship at the Chicago Humanities Festival
Source
Chicago Humanities Festival
In the News
Oct 2020
Heintz Joins Panel on Strengthening U.S. Democracy
Source
Council on Foreign Relations
In the News
Oct 2020
Vote for president and the Senate. But pay attention to these reforms on state ballots, too.
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Oct 2020
Meet the reformer: Sterling Speirn, promotor of 31 fix-the-system ideas
Source
The Fulcrum
In the News
Oct 2020
Make the Supreme Court Less Political. Put Term Limits on Justices.
Source
Real Clear Policy
In the News
OCT 2020
America’s Plastic Hour Is Upon Us
Source
The Atlantic
In the News
Sep 2020
Amanpour and Company features Our Common Purpose
Source
Amanpour and Company
In the News
Sep 2020
A Playbook for Regaining Our Common Purpose
Source
The Art of Association
In the News
Sep 2020
The justices themselves can turn down the heat — by creating their own term limits
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Aug 2020
Revitalizing Democracy During COVID-19 and Beyond
Source
AMA Journal of Ethics
Bulletin
Aug 2020
Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century
In the News
Jul 2020
Our Towns: Three Guides to the Next America
Source
The Atlantic
In the News
Jul 2020
Why on this Fourth of July, America urgently needs to reinvent itself again
Source
USA Today
In the News
Jul 2020
The radicalism of the American Revolution — and its lessons for today
Source
Vox
In the News
Jul 2020
Commentary: Fixing Democracy
Source
Daily Yonder
In the News
Jul 2020
WRONG WAY?
Source
Anniston Star (Alabama)
In the News
Jul 2020
For Philanthropy to Achieve Its Goals, Democracy Must Work
Source
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
In the News
Jul 2020
Tech companies are finally being shamed into action
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Jul 2020
Why Coronavirus Is an ‘Existential Crisis’ for American Democracy
Source
Politico
In the News
Jun 2020
Rebuilding Trust in American Democracy
Source
BYU Radio
In the News
Jun 2020
NPR On Point: Reimagining Democracy for the 21st Century
Source
On Point, National Public Radio
In the News
Jun 2020
Etats-Unis : du « besoin urgent » de réinvention
Source
Le Monde
In the News
Jun 2020
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Source
VISION | Knight Foundation
In the News
Jun 2020
Here are a whole bunch of good ideas to reform our democracy
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Jun 2020
Trust In American Institutions Has Been Dropping For Decades
Source
NPR
In the News
Jun 2020
Study commission calls for constitutional amendment limiting influence of money on elections
Source
Augusta Free Press
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Jun 2020
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Source
The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
In the News
Jun 2020
Amid inequality and polarization, how can we strengthen American democracy?
Source
PBS NewsHour
In the News
Jun 2020
We seek reforms to policing. But something even deeper needs repair.
Source
The Washington Post
In the News
Jun 2020
America’s neck is broken. We can survive, but we have to act.
Source
The Washington Post
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May 2020
The situation is dire. We need a better normal at the end of this — and peace.
Source
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