Episode 1: Reclaiming Civic Culture
Reclaiming Civic Culture: A Conversation with Eric Liu
Why This Conversation Matters
- For Community Leaders: Learn how to shape civic culture through workshops, gatherings, and programming
- For Organizers: Understand citizenship as active participation, not just voting
- For Citizens: Discover practical ways to renew civic life in your neighborhood
- For Everyone: Hear fresh thinking on hope, grief, and the future of democracy
Big things are happening at The Beacon Project. Last week they released a new framework for America's Exhausted Majority. This week, they're launching a podcast. Over the coming weeks, host Daniel Yudkin will talk with leaders in civil society and academia about the biggest issues facing our democracy—from polarization to culture to social media.
About Eric Liu and Citizen University
- Eric Liu is CEO of Citizen University, an organization actively shaping civic culture nationwide
- Author of 8 books on citizenship and democracy
- Known as one of the most eloquent voices in the movement to renew civic life in America
- Citizen University runs workshops, gatherings, and programs that help people become powerful citizens
Eric Liu first met Daniel Yudkin at a Beacon Project event last May. Since then, Yudkin has come to see Liu as a deeply insightful, wise, and clear thinker who always sheds new light on familiar topics.
What They Discuss
This wide-ranging conversation covers several important topics:
- Why citizenship is so important right now — Moving beyond voting to active participation in community life
- Politics as "pain relief" — Understanding why people turn to politics during hard times
- Grief and hope — How communities can hold both emotions while working for change
- The future of our democracy — What it takes to rebuild civic culture from the ground up
This conversation builds on The Beacon Project's recent work introducing "Potentialism"—a new framework for understanding the 190 million Americans who are exhausted by polarization and looking for alternatives. Eric Liu's work at Citizen University provides practical ways for this exhausted majority to rebuild civic connection.
The podcast represents The Beacon Project's commitment to going deeper on these issues. Rather than just writing about civic renewal, they're creating space for extended conversations that explore different angles and solutions.
How to Listen
You can listen to the episode directly on The Beacon Project's Substack. Links for iTunes and Spotify are coming soon, making it easy to follow along with future episodes.
This is just the first in what promises to be a series of thought-provoking conversations. Future episodes will continue exploring how we can strengthen democracy, reduce polarization, and build communities where everyone belongs.
Join the Conversation
Subscribe to The Beacon Project podcast and follow their work on building a framework for America's Exhausted Majority.
Visit The Beacon Project Learn About Citizen University