At a time when civic knowledge is in decline, political scientist Jeffrey Sikkenga makes the case that the health of our democracy depends on how—and whether—we teach American principles.

Sikkenga, executive director of the Ashbrook Center, joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss A Republic, If We Can Teach It, which he coauthored with Hoover Institution fellow David Davenport. The book explores the challenges facing civic education today and argues that a strong republic requires citizens who understand and value its constitutional foundations. What role should schools, parents, and institutions play in preparing the next generation for informed, engaged citizenship?

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Is democracy in trouble? Many Americans believe so: recent polls consistently rank "threats to democracy" as one of respondents' top concerns. In the new book The Civic Bargain, authors Brook Manville and Josiah Ober look to history for examples of democracies under threat. By examining the ways in which historical democracies confronted their own challenges, the authors are able to distill lessons and principles that can benefit us today.

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At a time when many Americans struggle with economic insecurity, sociologist Jessica Calarco offers an exploration of how women have become America’s default social safety net.

Calarco joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss her latest book, Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, she argues that American society relies disproportionately on women’s unpaid and underpaid labor and that this reliance has concealed critical gaps in public policy. What can we learn from women’s experiences about building stronger, fairer support systems for all Americans and strengthening our civic fabric?

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