For decades, Stanford University has focused on fostering civic education, a mission rooted in its founding principles to “teach the blessings of liberty regulated by law” and a “reverence for the great principles of government of man to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Continuing this tradition, the Stanford Civics Initiative (SCI) was launched in 2020. It is led by political scientist Josiah Ober, in collaboration with the School of Humanities and Sciences and the Hoover Institution.
Ober, in his role, has helped develop courses such as COLLEGE 102: Citizenship in the 21st Century, aimed at expanding civics education. “The goal of civic education in a democracy is learning how to live in a world in which there are people who are very different from yourself,” Ober stated, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse perspectives and engaging collaboratively in policy-making.
SCI has grown significantly in the last five years, offering advanced courses on democratic citizenship, like POLISCI 234: Democratic Theory, taught by Brian Coyne. Coyne, who has been involved with SCI since the beginning, remarked, “A civics education helps students see for themselves why democracy is important.”
Looking ahead, SCI plans to introduce a senior honors program and expand its team with additional postdoctoral fellows. It also collaborates with initiatives such as ePluribus Stanford and the Democracy Hub, as noted by Satz, Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of H&S. “Disagreement about politics […] is a feature and not a bug of a democratic society,” she said.
At the Hoover Institution, SCI is part of a broader focus on national civic programming. Josiah Ober also initiated the Alliance for Civics in the Academy in 2024, a nonpartisan network supporting civic education in higher institutions. Through the Hoover affiliation, courses like POLISCI 217 and POLISCI 237 are now part of Stanford’s curriculum.
Ober emphasized the dual role of universities in skill-building and character-building, aiming to instill civic courage in students. “Over time, students grow into more courageous, self-regulated individuals,” he said. He further expressed the collective responsibility of citizens to “take some risks to themselves to stand up for the common good.”
The initiative reflects Stanford’s long-standing commitment to nurturing engaged citizenship and the development of future leaders capable of contributing positively to democratic society.
