Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD)
(These are my personal reflections on the Institute for Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) not an official statement of site for the event)
From the 2nd to 10th of September 2023 Ball State faculty member David J. Roof of CECL was represented as the Madison Center for Civic Engagement at James Madison University hosted the influential Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy (ICSLD) joining North Carolina State University and University of Augsburg (Germany). ICSLD was founded at Tufts University in 2009 and provides an intensive, 10-day seminar and residential retreat.
The 2023 ICSLD brought leaders from around the world from diverse professions and fields of study to learn alongside other faculty, staff and graduate students. ICSLD brought scholars together from the Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Bangladesh, the Caribbean, United States, and elsewhere.
Participants had on-site meetings at James Madison’s Montpelier and the U.S. Capital in Washington, D.C.
Dr. David Kirkpatrick, interim executive director of the Madison Center, and Dr. Kara Dillard, interim associate director of the center, attended the institute in Augsburg, Germany, last August, funded in part by the U.S. State Department.
Dr. Kirkpatrick presented at the summit and held a series of meetings with the organizers on JMU’s potential involvement. “JMU has been a national leader in civic engagement for a long time, under President Jon Alger’s leadership. Becoming a partner institution for and hosting the ICSLD reflects our goal at the Madison Center of leading national and international conversations around strengthening our democracy for the common good.”
Sunday the event began with a dinner and reception
Monday, Sept. 4 began with ‘Inspirations’ for the Institute by Tanja Hoggan-Kloubert
During the Opening Week Topics Included
The ‘3 Tasks of Civic Life’
Peter Levine’s book What Should We Do?
Collective Action
The ‘Ostrom Reader’
Putnam: Community-based Social Capital
Pluralism
Berlin: Pursuit of the Ideal
Social Movements: Gandhi
Social Movements as Politics
Human Rights / Exclusion
Thinking Constitutionally
Constitutional Design
Educating the ‘Good Citizen’
Wednesday September 7th the international delegates from the Institute of Civic Studies and Learning for Democracy took a trip to the U.S. Capital. 
Mid_Week Topics Explored Were:
Deceit in Politics
Negotiation / Deliberation
Transformative Learning Theory
Civic Dialogue
On Friday September 8th the ICSLD took a trip to Madison’s home. 
Late in week ICSLD Explored:
Hannah Arendt’s “On Revolution”
Unger / Green Conservatism
Four Pillars of Civic Learning
Debate Across the Curriculum