Civic Participation
CECE Receives Funds from the Freedom Together Foundation to Study the Movement to Protect Democracy
CECE is excited to announce a new grant from the Freedom Together Foundation, which will support our efforts to conduct non-partisan research about civic engagement and how to citizens are working to support a more informed and engaged democracy. Data about civic and political participation will be collected from the general public, along with groups and […]
Apocalyptic Optimist: Restoring Trust, Accountability, and Community in America
Racial inequality and broken systemic trust can feel overwhelming, but practical solutions are already being tested and proven on the ground. In this episode, host Dr. Dana Fisher welcomes renowned sociologist Dr. Rashawn Ray (@sociologistray) to explore actionable pathways toward genuine systemic reform. From enacting police liability insurance models to activating barbershops and local hubs […]
[Article] How Trump’s disaster aid delays and FEMA cuts could galvanize the ‘movable middle’ [...]
CECE Director Dana Fisher authored a new article “How Trump’s disaster aid delays and FEMA cuts could galvanize the ‘movable middle’ in the 2026 elections” in the Conversation. The piece, which discusses how delays to disaster aid could impact the mid-term elections, can be read here.
DataCorps Fellowship Wraps Up with Trip to Austin
Last week, the CECE research team and DataCorps fellows visited Austin, Texas, where we studied corpsmembers working for the Texas Conservation Corps (TXCC). The TXCC is housed under American YouthWorks (AYW), a nonprofit focused on workforce development, disaster response, and environmental restoration. The TXCC employs young people aged 16-35 to conserve natural landscapes and recreational […]
DataCorps Fellowship Continues with Visits to Several Sites in Los Angeles
Earlier this June, the DataCorps fellows and Workforce Development & the 4Rs research team visited Los Angeles. The first stop on our Los Angeles trip was the LA Works office, located in the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens, a beautiful green space in an otherwise bustling urban area. While there, our research team conducted […]
[Article] Surveying a Crowd: A Field Experiment Comparing Data Collection Techniques at Protest [...]
In a new peer-reviewed article published in Sociological Methodology, three CECE researchers study the effectiveness of digital techniques to collect survey data in crowds. While protest surveys have traditionally been gathered by interviewing protesters using a paper and clipboard or asking them to self-administer the surveys, these methods are often time-consuming and tedious for both […]
Second Year of DataCorps Fellowship Kicks Off With Site Visit in Seattle
The Workforce Development & the 4Rs research team, along with the 2026 cohort of DataCorps Fellowship, kicked off the first site visit of the summer in Seattle, Washington. Seattle is the first of three visits to various cities throughout the country where our team will be evaluating and gathering data on disaster-related service corps programs. […]
No Kings 3 Turns Out Locals from Across the DMV
The No Kings 3 Day-of-Action mobilized millions of people across the country. Our team collected data through a field survey at a No Kings 3 demonstration in Washington, DC on 3/28/2026. Data were collected as people assembled to rally and march over the Frederick Douglass Bridge in Washington, DC (this event was expected to be […]
CECE Featured in NYT’s ‘No Kings 3’ Protest Coverage
CECE Director Dana R. Fisher was recently featured in two New York Times articles discussing her work related to the “No Kings” Protests. In “A Challenge for ‘No Kings’ Protests, the Third Time Around,” Fisher shares her reflections on the protests and what more can be done. In “5 Takeaways From the ‘No Kings’ Rallies […]
Apocalyptic Optimist: Why Solidarity Is So Hard — and How We Build It Anyway
In this episode of the Apocalyptic Optimist Podcast, Dana talks with Dr. Rashawn Ray about the realities of building solidarity in a deeply divided moment. From his work with communities-of-color and police departments to learning from the Black Lives Matter movement, Dr. Ray breaks down what works, what doesn’t, and how people can show up as […]
CECE Whitepaper No. 4: Understanding Community Response to Disaster: Results from Three AmeriCorps [...]
AmeriCorps members and volunteers engage in community response to disaster across the United States. How do they explain the skills they use, the motivations that urge them to respond, and their experiences with disaster? Across the three programs that we visited, participants reported drawing from their prior life experiences, whether personal or professional,to increase their […]
Apocalyptic Optimist: Learning from the Free America Walkout
In the inaugural episode of the Apocalyptic Optimist Podcast, Dr. Dana R. Fisher talks with Rachel O’Leary Carmona and Tamika Middleton from the Women’s March about what we can learn from the Free America Walkout. You can watch all of the episodes here or access them via our YouTube Channel, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.