Civility Unbound - by Michael Diniscia & Ellyn M Toscano

Book Synopsis

An urgent interrogation of an eroding norm

Amidst unprecedented turmoil in American Democracy--as norms of conduct in our institutions erode and polarizing, combative behavior is increasingly rewarded--an acclaimed group of thought leaders, policymakers, artists, activists, and scholars interrogate a cornerstone of American politics and society: civility.

In Civility Unbound, these luminaries examine "civility" and address the question of whether being "civil" is a fundamental good. Tackling the concept's core paradoxes, they consider how those in power have defined civility to regulate the norms of "acceptable" behavior in politics. The collection features powerful contributions: Norm Ornstein discusses how tribalization has pushed political institutions to the breaking point; Jonathan Haidt describes how social media has fundamentally changed our relations that supercharges moralistic anger while dissolving trust and cooperation; Lynn Mie Itagaki unearths the ways in which civility is deployed as a means to delay or defer the pursuit of justice; Karen Jackson-Weaver recounts the history of African American women deploying civility in the fight for universal suffrage; Ricardo Maldonado uses his own life as a Puerto Rican poet as a case study to think about issues of belonging and identity; and Anthony Appiah points to how civility can be a positive means for negotiating our differences.

Together, these essays present readers with a sweeping understanding of the values that dictate the political environment, addressing how these conventions evolve or deteriorate over time. Ultimately, Civility Unbound offers a potential path forward for redeeming this democratic value, in the pursuit of accepting differences, facilitating dialogue, and encouraging compromise.

Review Quotes

"Civility is core to the American DNA and yet, somehow, we've lost it. The essays in Civility Unbound tell us how to get it back. Whether it's through looking at lessons from the past or adding more punchlines to our everyday life, this book left me feeling hopeful about where to go from here."-- "Negin Farsad, author of How to Make White People Laugh"

"Michael F. DiNiscia and Ellyn M. Toscano give powerful voice to essayists who vividly remind us that while the First Amendment guarantees free speech, civic and civil engagement also demand an obligation to listen to other points of view."-- "Sam Roberts, New York Times"

"The success of a diverse liberal democracy depends on civility. This timely anthology brings together brilliant minds from different perspectives who remind us that civility is an essential virtue that we need to teach in the United States. Civility means practicing the politics of the Golden Rule--treating other people as you would like to be treated. In a time of rising tribalism and political violence there could be no more redemptive or necessary message."-- "John Avlon, author of Lincoln and the Fight for Peace"

"This timely book's galaxy of progressive scholars contends that democracy's sine qua non is civility. But an old kleptocracy twinned with a new autocracy may yet yield a truer version of our vaunted exceptionalism. Civility Unbound: Contesting a Democratic Value poses nothing less than an existential question for these beleaguered times."-- "David Levering Lewis, New York University"

About the Author

Michael DiNiscia (Editor)
Michael F. DiNiscia serves as Director of Research & Strategic Initiatives of the John Brademas Center of New York University. He is the co-editor of Are the Arts Essential?

Ellyn M. Toscano (Editor)
Ellyn M. Toscano is Executive Director of the Hawthornden Foundation.