ABSTRACT
Each chapter of this book contains a novel recommendation for improving American politics, but no matter how creative these solutions might be, they must ultimately be implemented wisely and sustained over time, thereby requiring a unique set of political capacities. But where to find them? This chapter highlights one such location, telling the story of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at the University of Texas at Austin, an organization for creating informed and engaged citizens. When doing so, the institute emphasizes six specific skill sets: asking important questions, examining institutional regularities, broadening our social networks, pursuing everyday fairness, trying bold experiments, and being constantly ready to challenge existing conventions. The institute stands as a reminder – to students, to college and university leaders, and, really, to all would-be problem solvers – that it takes a clear set of priorities and the willingness to ask hard questions to fix American politics and to keep it fixed.
