Civics for Life Quarterly, Volume 4 | Issue 3

New research from the O’Connor Institute finds that when students self-censor in civics class, they worry most about one another. Last year, nearly 80 percent of civics teachers surveyed by the O’Connor Institute said they had self-censored or avoided certain topics because they feared pushback. This year, we talked to the students.

New Policy Brief

Why Are Students Self-Censoring in Civics Class? examines why students go quiet and what schools can do to make productive disagreement easier to practice.

Public Square | AI and Civic Life: Who Gets a Voice?

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday life, shaping how people learn, work, receive information, and interact with institutions. As these tools become more common in education, healthcare, government, hiring, media, and other parts of public life, they raise an important civic question: who should have a voice in how AI is used?

Civics for Life Quarterly, Volume 4 | Issue 2

Before the American Revolution became legend, it was lived. They were organizers, writers, soldiers, printers, petitioners, diplomats, and spies. Many were not famous. They argued, sacrificed, and acted without knowing whether the country they imagined would survive. Before It Became History, a new podcast series from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, tells those stories and…

Our Next Book Club Pick

We’re excited to announce our next CFL Book Club discussion on June 25, at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT, featuring The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson. RSVP here.

Civics for Life Quarterly, Volume 4 | Issue 1

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was the featured speaker at the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute’s latest Annual History Dinner in Phoenix, where she addressed the importance of historical perspective in a time of national uncertainty. Goodwin recalled her earlier visits with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and praised the Institute’s work in teaching history and…

O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club

Calling all high-school-age students! Are you a high school student who wants to stand out on college applications, sharpen your leadership and debate skills, and connect with other ambitious students across the country? Join a one-of-a-kind, online Civics & Debate Club—totally free to join. You’ll build your confidence, grow your civics knowledge, and become part…

Join Our Community App

Join the Civics for Life Community—on desktop or in our app—and connect with people making a difference. This is your space for real conversations, practical tools, and the confidence to act.

A Conversation on the Economy With Dr. Art Laffer

Economist Dr. Art Laffer—creator of the Laffer Curve and former advisor to Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and several others—joined the Institute for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the American economy and where it may be headed.

Civics for Life Quarterly, Volume 3 | Issue 3

Economist Dr. Art Laffer—creator of the Laffer Curve and former advisor to Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and several others—joined the Institute for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the American economy and where it may be headed.