Focus
Kettering's primary research question is, what does it take to make democracy work as it should?
Our research is distinctive because it is conducted from the perspective of citizens and focuses on what people can do collectively to address problems affecting their lives, their communities, and their nation.
Our research suggests that a true, robust democracy requires:
Citizens
Democracy requires responsible citizens who can make sound decisions about their future and can act on these decisions.
Read moreCommunities
Democracy requires a community, or a society of citizens, that can work together to address common problems.
Read moreInstitutions
Democracy requires institutions with public legitimacy that contribute to strengthening society.
Read moreDemocratic Practices
Kettering research has also identified some of the things citizens, communities, and institutions must do to make democracy work as it should: we call these democratic practices.
Read moreProblems Behind the Problems
We probe underneath obvious problems to find the deeper causes, or "problems behind the problems," that prevent democracy from working as it should.
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