Deliberative Citizenship Network

The Deliberative Citizenship Network (DCN) is a multi-year, multi-institution initiative designed to strengthen civil discourse, democratic engagement, and civic learning on college campuses nationwide.

Led by the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI) and housed within the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good at Davidson College, the DCN will support a diverse cohort of higher education institutions as they build or expand campus programs focused on civil discourse and deliberative learning. Beginning in 2026 and over the next four years, the DCN will become a national network of civil discourse programs at 100 colleges and universities across the United States. 

Participating institutions will receive training, resources, and first-year funding to support faculty development, student leadership, and public-facing dialogue initiatives, while joining a national community of peers working to strengthen these efforts across higher education. The network is supported by a grant from a nearly $4 million grant (P116J251451) from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). One hundred percent of project activities are funded by the FIPSE grant for the duration of the award period.

This grant positions the Martin Institute as a central hub for research, teaching, and public engagement around ideological pluralism, free expression, and deliberation. The Martin Institute and Deliberative Citizenship Initiative invite institutions of higher education across the country to apply to join the DCN and participate in this important work together.