Action and Agency
Action and agency is about what people can do to shape the future, acting alone or together, and whether they feel able to. It looks at the ways individuals, groups, and institutions respond to large public problems. Voters, organizers, public officials, and reformers all have a part, and so do the laws that protect or limit what they can do.
An independent team explaining how government works
Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Topics in Action and Agency
Acting together
Collective Action and Movements, Institutional Reform, and Technology Governance look at how groups, institutions, and rules can change how society works.
Personal choices
Individual Action and Hope and Empowerment look at what a single person can do and what keeps people motivated.
All Articles on Action and Agency
Digital vs. Traditional Civic Engagement: How Americans Participate in Democracy Today
The way Americans engage with their communities and government is changing dramatically. For generations, civic participation meant voting, attending town halls, and volunteering locally.…
Civil Disobedience vs. Lawful Protest: Your Rights and Responsibilities
Civil disobedience and lawful protest differ in legal risk. Constitutional rights, permit rules, historical examples and police encounters explain why.