Research Article

Making civic engagement go viral: Applying social epidemiology principles to civic education

Published: 2019-2

Journal: Journal of Public Affairs

DOI: 10.1002/pa.1857

Abstract

This paper explores the connections between education for youth civic engagement and theories and strategies from public health (specifically, epidemiology). We illustrate this with four applications of epidemiologic theory to youth civic engagement: social determinants and fundamental causes, vulnerable populations and cumulative disadvantage, positive spillover, and herd immunity and critical mass. Formalizing concepts of current civics, in schools and the public, as a civic epidemic, we present a case for individual‐ and group‐level interventions based around targeted, school‐based, effective civic education initiatives. Grounded in epidemiological theory, such approaches call attention to the simultaneous need to improve broad civics education and ensure that particular populations receive necessary attentions.

Faculty Members

  • Alexander Pope - Department of Secondary and Physical Education Salisbury University Salisbury Maryland USA
  • Alison K. Cohen - Department of Public and Nonprofit Administration School of Management, University of San Francisco San Francisco California USA
  • Catherine d.P. Duarte - University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health Berkeley California USA

Themes

  • Youth Civic Engagement
  • Interventions and Strategies
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Vulnerable Populations
  • Social Determinants
  • Education

Categories

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