Trygve Throntveit

Research Professor in Higher Education and Associate Director of the Center for Economic and Civic Learning at Ball State University. He developed the Third Way Civics approach to undergraduate civic learning and previously led strategic partnership and civic renewal work at the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Third Way Civics Brings Civic Learning Into Courses Across Disciplines

Trygve Throntveit argues that colleges can help address a civic crisis he describes as Americans’ declining ability and willingness to work across differences. His proposed model, Third Way Civics, folds civic inquiry and dialogue into regular coursework, asking students to examine primary sources and reason together rather than receive prescribed conclusions. Throntveit says pilots across more than 50 courses have shown gains in civic engagement and willingness to listen to people with whom students disagree.

Hoover InstitutionSep 23, 20264 min read