What Could Make Democracy Better
Read chapters 4 and 5 in Papacharissi (readings attached) and chapter 5 of Higdon & Huff (readings attached) Then you can distill your own ideas and resources into the mix. This assignment requires APA style with in-text citations and references. The references can be at the end and not in each section, but in-text citations are required to strengthen credibility.
Part I.
Papacharissi in Chapters 4 & 5 discusses ways in which to move democracy forward. Find at least five key elements that resonate with you and why. Did you agree or disagree with her overall approaches? This section requires thoughtfulness and needs to be distilled from her work with in-text citations, and your distinctive slant on the themes. Two pages for this section.
Part II.
After reviewing Chapter 5, Make America Think Again in Higdon & Huff, review and describe three approaches that you think should be adopted in the US. to improve democracy, and media, and create less polarization. Speculate on whether some of the other suggestions are useful. Provide in-text citations. Two pages for this section.
Part III.
Identify multiple ways in which you can be an agent of change when it comes to civic engagement on either a local, national, or international level. We often do not get to consider how we can make a difference in our community. This is your chance to take inventory of your skills and how they can best serve others when it comes to civic engagement. Two pages for this section but depth is important with real approaches and examples of how you can be participatory.
What Could Make Democracy Better
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What Could Make Democracy Better
Part One
Even though most countries are looking forward to attaining democracy, most nations are still violating it. Since weakening democracy negatively impacts the citizens, different scholars have advocated for measures to improve it. One of the people that have highlighted measures to boost democracy is Papacharissi. One of the ways that he has highlighted is through having soft capitalism and strong democracy (Papacharissi, n.d.). One reason that has prompted him to advocate for soft capitalism is that money drives politics. For example, in most instances, financial insecurity among the average citizens usually affects how they vote and live. He highlights that capitalism has a global impact since it influences most priorities, even in non-capitalist countries. If capitalism is softened, it could help to manage corruption which has been a main factor interfering with democracy.
The other way to manage democracy is through civic education for everyone. For example, there have been instances where some politicians have been lacking the necessary education. Since most citizens have an education, they expect these leaders to have a greater sense of democracy and policy (Papacharissi, n.d.). However, these individuals have yet to prove this level of education. Moreover, people are usually overwhelmed by the information amount that they receive daily. Civic education will help citizens and leaders differentiate fake and true information, which could help strengthen democracy. This process could help to boost the theme of education, which will be critical in improving democracy in the country.
The third way to help move to democracy is by reinventing journalism. The wide gap in media and politics has negatively affected the general public. For example, journalism has faced a problem reconciling the necessities required for truth-telling and having political priorities (Papacharissi, n.d.). This reason has caused most regions to have weak democracy. Reinventing journalism will play a critical part in boosting democracy. For example, it could offer the citizens platforms where they will have outstanding connection and expression. This process will also help reach other individuals to fight, converse, troll, listen, educate, and learn.
The next way that Papacharissi has highlighted that could help to move democracy is through being our civic agents of change. In this scenario, if the citizens want change, they should be at the forefront of implementing it. One way to help the citizens is by guarding their attention (Papacharissi). For example, citizens should protect their attention from clickbait headlines since they will likely affect them negatively. This process could help to protect them from falling into the trap of populism when false promises entice them. Moreover, the citizens should protect one another since democracy requires people to protect one another.
The other way that can help to improve democracy is by having long-term and short-term politics. One of the reasons that have weakened democracy is that some individuals have only based their perception only on the current goals. This has been the main reason why most nations have struggled to focus on the larger issues. Before voting for the government, the citizens should question their short-term and long-term goals (Papacharissi, n.d.). Having both short and long-term goals will help the government to address the current problems with the mindset of the future ones, thereby helping to boost democracy.
I support the Papacharissi elements to boost democracy. For example, I believe that the idea of capitalism is one reason that has weakened democracy since individuals are practicing dishonesty. Controlling it could help individuals to make the right decisions boosting democracy. Similarly, improving civic education among individuals would help to make informed decisions, thereby having outstanding results. Furthermore, since journalism has been at the forefront of sharing information, bringing innovations could help individuals reevaluate their priorities. Furthermore, citizens should not look for leaders to be the only agents of change since they can even help introduce change. Furthermore, having short-term and long-term goals would help the citizens to choose the best leader.
Part Two
Since democracy is important in every country, looking for measures to improve it is critical. Chapter 5, "American Think Again," highlights various approaches that can be employed to improve democracy and media and create less polarization in the U.S. One way this chapter has highlighted is through Civics education. Civics education is critical for citizens since they will be able to understand their rights and obligations within society. Therefore, these individuals will make the right choice and choose the leaders with the skills to improve democracy. For civics education to be successful, it will require a series of individuals. For instance, educators should be positioned in a way that will help boost the public's capacity to attain democratic participation. Educators should explain the problems and the solutions while emphasizing civil liberties, diversities, and collectivism within the global context (Giroux, n.d.). Furthermore, journalists should play an active role in boosting America's engagement capacity. For instance, the news media and technology will play a critical role in producing that could boost democracy through regulating the commercialism influence on governan...