Lindsey Cormack

November 26, 2024

SIU’s Paul Simon Institute to examine parents’ role in civic education, promoting citizenship

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Political science professor and author Lindsey Cormack will join Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on Tuesday, Dec. 3, for a virtual discussion on parents’ roles in teaching civic education to their children.

Cormack, author of “How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It),” will also discuss with John Shaw, institute director, her research that analyzes strategic political communication and the challenges and responsibilities of promoting citizenship.

The discussion, via Zoom at 1 p.m., is free and open to the public, but registration to view the conversation is required. The discussion is part of the institute’s “Understanding Our New World” discussion series. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register.

Cormack is an associate professor of political science and director of the Diplomacy Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her book, released in August, “explains how and why parents must help their children to learn about politics and government.”

“Professor Cormack is a thoughtful, engaging and passionate advocate for a renewed effort to elevate the idea and the responsibility of citizenship in the United States,” Shaw said. “She believes that we all need to do more to inspire and educate coming generations of Americans about our special role as citizens. She believes that parents need to assume greater responsibilities in this regard and not rely on schools to do the work of building citizens.”

Cormack has an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Kansas and graduate degrees in politics from New York University. Cormack runs DCinbox, a project she began in 2009 that archives and provides to the public all official e-newsletters sent by members of Congress. She is also author of “Congress and the U.S. Veterans: From the GI Bill to the VA Crisis,” published in 2018.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Cormack on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.

More information, a list of the institute’s upcoming events and past speakers and events are available.