Civitas Outlook

Civitas Outlook, the online journal of the Civitas Institute, publishes original writing about the ideas that create flourishing societies.

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The Reckless American

The Reckless American

Even our noblest heroes have their rash and daring moments, impulsive decisions which are, in fact, critical to their eventual success.

Mark Bauerlein
Pursuit of Happiness
Oct 24, 2025

Waging Municipal Lawfare

Waging Municipal Lawfare

The limited authority of local governments to initiate public interest litigation is a matter of law, not politics.

Doug Peterson, Michael Toth
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025

What Game Are We Playing?

What Game Are We Playing?

If you decide to play Calvinball, you have become a partisan of Calvinball.

John Grove
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025

All topics

Civitas Outlook seeks understanding from a variety of authors, ideas, and disciplines. Choose a specific topic above or explore our full library.

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The Reckless American
Mark Bauerlein
Pursuit of Happiness
Oct 24, 2025
Waging Municipal Lawfare
Doug Peterson, Michael Toth
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025
What Game Are We Playing?
John Grove
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025
Trump's Industrial Policies Will Strangle Growth
Richard Epstein
Economic Dynamism
Oct 22, 2025
Does Federal Law Extend to Portlandia?
John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Oct 22, 2025
Bodies, Selves, and the Quest for Identity
Rachel Lu
Pursuit of Happiness
Oct 21, 2025

Economic Dynamism

We consider the principles, policies, and culture that supports free market capitalism

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The Deficit Trap: Why Spending Cuts Must Take Center Stage
Adam Michel
Economic Dynamism
Sep 30, 2025
America's AI Race
Rachel Lomasky
Economic Dynamism
Sep 23, 2025
Industrial Policy: A Global Review
Paul Mueller
Economic Dynamism
Sep 22, 2025
The Dangers of Pursuing the Endangerment Finding
Jonathan H. Adler
Economic Dynamism
Sep 15, 2025
Open the Budget Scoring Black Box
Jonathan Hartley, Joshua D. Rauh
Economic Dynamism
Sep 11, 2025
State Capitalism with MAGA Characteristics
Veronique de Rugy
Economic Dynamism
Sep 4, 2025

Politics

We investigate what it means to be a constitutional people who remain tethered to the rule of law.

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Why Reagan Crushed the PATCO Strike
Tevi Troy
Politics
Oct 16, 2025
Jefferson's Complex Legacy on Slavery and Race
Richard Samuelson
Politics
Oct 10, 2025
That Elusive Gaza Solution
Richard Epstein
Politics
Oct 9, 2025
Is Post-Liberalism a Real Remedy?
Graham McAleer
Politics
Oct 8, 2025
The Path to Civility
David C. Rose
Politics
Oct 8, 2025
The Wages of War and Punishment
John Yoo
Politics
Oct 2, 2025

Constitutionalism

We discuss the political thought that undergirds a society of freedom and virtue.

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Waging Municipal Lawfare
Doug Peterson, Michael Toth
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025
What Game Are We Playing?
John Grove
Constitutionalism
Oct 23, 2025
Does Federal Law Extend to Portlandia?
John Yoo
Constitutionalism
Oct 22, 2025
Creed, Culture, and American Memory
Wilfred McClay
Constitutionalism
Oct 21, 2025
The Constitution and the National Guard
Robert G. Natelson
Constitutionalism
Oct 20, 2025
Have We All Misunderstood Enumerated Powers?
Johnathan O'Neill
Constitutionalism
Oct 9, 2025

Pursuit of Happiness

We explore how citizens, neighbors, workers, families, and communities shape the future of American society.

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Did Leo Strauss Get Religion?
Paul Seaton
Pursuit of Happiness
Oct 3, 2025
The Philosophy of Jacques Maritain — A Long-Awaited Introduction
Thomas D. Howes
Pursuit of Happiness
Oct 3, 2025
Pascal's Diagnosis of the Modern Soul
Titus Techera
Pursuit of Happiness
Sep 30, 2025
Cormac McCarthy's Western Canon
Casey Spinks
Pursuit of Happiness
Sep 26, 2025
The Freedom to Speak and the Duty to Listen
David F. Forte
Pursuit of Happiness
Sep 24, 2025
Draining the Ivory Tower
Kevin Frazier
Pursuit of Happiness
Sep 17, 2025

Technology & Innovation

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Who we are

We are a community of scholars exploring the ideas and institutions that create flourishing societies.

The Civitas Institute is part of the School of Civic Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin.

Independent thought, civil discourse, reasoned deliberation and intellectual curiosity are central to our ethos.

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