The McCourtney Institute for Democracy

**We are partisans for democracy** What does it mean to be a partisan for democracy? We don’t take sides on the political spectrum, but we do defend the rights everyone has as a democratic citizen — from voting to protesting to consuming information from a free press that serves as a check on political leaders. The McCourtney Institute for Democracy draws from the humanities and social sciences to examine democracy from multiple angles. This cross-discipline collaboration is evident in our research, education, and outreach efforts. We educate the next generation of democratic citizens through our [Nevins Fellows](https://democracy.psu.edu/education/nevins-fellows/) program, monitor attitudes toward democracy with the [Mood of the Nation](https://democracy.psu.edu/research/mood-of-the-nation-poll/) poll, and host speakers and events that bring people from diverse backgrounds and points of view together to discuss the role of democracy in our society. We make all of this happen in partnership with our centers of excellence, the [Center for American Political Responsiveness](https://democracy.psu.edu/about/center-for-american-political-responsiveness/) and the [Center for Democratic Deliberation](https://democracy.psu.edu/about/center-for-democratic-deliberation/), and many other organizations throughout the College of the Liberal Arts and the broader Penn State community. **Mission and Vision** Confronting the precarious condition of democracy in the US and around the world, The McCourtney Institute for Democracy promotes scholarship and practical innovations in order to preserve and advance democracy. Through teaching, research, and public outreach, the Institute leverages the resources of Penn State to defend democratic practices and foster democratic citizenship. We achieve our mission through interdisciplinary scholarship. The Institute operates through two centers—the Center for Democratic Deliberation (CDD) and the Center for American Political Responsiveness (CAPR). The CDD attends to the communication practices that make democratic deliberation possible, whereas CAPR addresses the way that governments translate citizen demands into public policy. **History** The McCourtney Institute for Democracy began as the Democracy Institute in 2012. In 2014, Tracy and Ted McCourtney gave a transformative $3 million gift to secure the Institute’s future. [John Gastil](https://democracy.psu.edu/people/jwg22/) served as the Institute’s founding director from 2012-2016. Mark Major served as associate director. [Christopher Beem](https://democracy.psu.edu/people/cxb518/) was hired as managing director in 2015 and [Michael Berkman](https://democracy.psu.edu/people/mbb1/) became director in 2016. The Center for Democratic Deliberation was founded in 2006 as nonpartisan, interdisciplinary center for research on issues of rhetorical education, democratic deliberation, and forms of dissent. The Center for American Political Responsiveness was founded in 2011 as an interdisciplinary academic center that investigates questions of democratic governance and public policy.