Civic Renewal

We take to heart The Wisconsin Idea — that researchers and educators have a moral obligation to use our knowledge to make the world a better place for everyone.

CCCR is guided by research-informed principles, including our belief that democracy is fundamental to healthful life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And a good democracy must provide self-governance by the public and civic equality in political influence and rights, among other values.

Healthy societies need citizens who embrace democratic values and who engage with their communities in ways that live up to those values. Under those preconditions, civic health involves mutual tolerance of and respect for others and a willingness to participate constructively in the collective aspects of community and political life.

In its name and its work, the Center calls for civic renewal. In that call, we recognize many ways in which Wisconsin and American politics and society fall short of democratic ideals. To make life better, we develop prescriptions from our research on how civic life can improve, and then we work hard to inform the people and our leaders about those insights.

The "Wisconsin Idea" at Work: Public Research Reports

The American Voter in 2024. January 2025.

In this report, we analyze 2024 a large national pre-election public opinion survey to investigate partisan agreement and division in attitudes, behaviors, and media consumption patterns that determined pivotal election outcomes. We examine party loyalty, identity group attitudes and prejudices, economic perceptions and experiences, foreign policy attitudes, and partisan news diets.

Understanding 2024 Midwest Battleground Voters. December 2024.

In this report, we analyze 2024 public opinion surveys in three Midwest election battlegrounds to investigate the social and political divides of partisanship in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. What divides the parties most on pivotal group attitudes and policies, and where do we find surprising levels of agreement across parties? Are Midwesterners stuck in partisan bubbles or broadly exposed to differing political views? And what are the consequences of partisan polarization for political conversations and social relationships?

Wisconsin’s Media Ecology & Civic Health: A Report on How Info Flows Shape & Reflect Civic Attitudes and Behaviors. May 2023.

In this report, we analyze 2022 public opinion survey data to investigate the Wisconsin public’s media diets, which shape and reflect political divides, and how they compare nationally. Where do Wisconsinites get information about politics? Are we stuck in partisan bubbles, or are we broadly exposed to views of political opponents? What are the implications for civic health? And how does Wisconsin compare to the nation?

Civic Fracture & Renewal in Wisconsin: A Report on the Public’s Civic Attitudes and Behaviors. March 2023.

In this report, we analyze 2022 public opinion survey data to investigate social and political symptoms emerging from Wisconsin’s political divides, and how they compare nationally. While the diagnosis is grim, we also identify opportunities for a healthier long-term prognosis, highlighting substantial agreement across divides on ways to repair democracy in Wisconsin.