How Universities Lost the Public—and How to Win Them Back
This episode was originally published by Heterodox Academy's Out Loud with John Tomasi.
In this episode, we are joined by Benjamin and Jenna Storey, renowned scholars, co-authors, and directors at the American Enterprise Institute’s Program on the Future of the American University. Together with host John Tomasi, they undertake a searching examination of the forces eroding confidence in universities and offer a roadmap for rebuilding their legitimacy and civic purpose.
The conversation draws on the Storeys’ personal journeys through academia, they explore how universities have shifted away from their civic mission, the implications of declining viewpoint diversity, and the urgent need to re-envision liberal education in a polarized era. Their discussion critically engages with recent initiatives, including the founding of university-level Schools of Civic Thought, and emphasizes both the perils and promise of institutional reform amidst increasing political and public scrutiny.
Read the report: “Civic: A Proposal for University Level Civic Education” (AEI, December 2023)
Pursuit of Happiness
National Poll from Civitas Institute: Americans Concerned About AI, Economic Issues
The Civitas Institute Poll, conducted from March 11-20, 2025, asked 1,200 Americans an array of questions about how things are going in the country.
Divorce, Family Arrangements, and Children's Adult Outcomes
This paper uses linked tax and Census records for over 5 million children to examine how divorce affects family arrangements and children's long-term outcomes.
Humanity According to Alasdair MacIntyre
He reminded us that life is mainly about love and friendship, not reason and will.
.webp)
Charter Schools Are Not ‘State Actors,’ And SCOTUS Should Have Said So
Charter schools need more autonomy than district schools if American families are going to have real choice in education.
American Renaissance: Penn Station Reborn?
Given the president’s rallying cry to Make America Great Again, it should be evident that one of the best expressions of this message would be to restore one of the nation’s greatest architectural icons and declarations of civic pride.
How Reading Augustine Dispels Ideological Illusions
What is the path through life that Augustine blazed and that so many others have followed?
Get the Civitas Outlook daily digest, plus new research and events.