A New Issue of the National Civic Review Arrives with Urgency and Purpose

The Spring 2026 issue of the National Civic Review, published by the National Civic League, brings together nine contributors from across the civic field to examine the structural, relational, and institutional conditions that make democratic life possible. The issue advances a compelling argument that democracy's current challenges — misinformation, polarization, institutional erosion, and exclusion — are best understood as failures of civic infrastructure requiring systemic, community-grounded responses. Contributors offer practical frameworks for rebuilding that infrastructure, from embedding community engagement in city governance to designing welcoming systems that restore civic trust among immigrant and marginalized communities. This issue is a vital resource for NCDD members and practitioners committed to strengthening dialogue, deliberation, and the conditions for genuine democratic participation.

---

---

The Spring 2026 issue of the National Civic Review arrives at a moment when the foundations of democratic life are being tested in new and familiar ways. Published by the National Civic League — an organization that has championed civic engagement and equitable local governance for more than a century — this issue gathers voices from across the civic field to examine the systems, institutions, and practices that either sustain or weaken communities' capacity to govern themselves together. From public libraries and civil service to misinformation and immigrant belonging, the contributors take seriously the idea that democracy is not a fixed condition but an ongoing practice, one that depends on the health of the institutions and relationships that hold communities together.

Several pieces in this issue advance a shared argument: that the challenges facing democracy today are, at their core, infrastructure problems. John Gastil reframes misinformation not as a communications challenge but as a failure of civic infrastructure — one that demands structural responses rather than reactive ones. Shernica L. Ferguson examines the erosion of the professional civil service and makes the case for rebuilding democratic capacity at the subnational level, where the work of governance is closest to the people it serves. Shamichael Hallman urges readers to see public libraries as more than repositories of books — they are civic anchors, spaces of belonging and public life that communities can ill afford to underestimate. Taken together, these contributions push practitioners and policymakers alike to ask not just what programs exist, but whether the underlying structures they depend on are sound.

The issue also turns its attention to the human and relational dimensions of civic health. Rachel Perić documents how welcoming communities are rebuilding civic trust by choosing inclusion over fear, demonstrating that belonging and civic participation are inseparable. Doug Linkhart profiles Hampton, Virginia, as a model of deeply embedded community engagement, where residents of every age and background participate meaningfully in shaping city priorities. Justin Eckstein and William Keith make a case for debate as a democratic discipline, and Peter Levine raises essential questions about where human judgment must remain central as artificial intelligence grows more capable. Matt Stempeck and Gabe Lerner round out the issue with curated civic technology and democracy ecosystem highlights that keep practitioners connected to the broader field. NCDD members working in dialogue, deliberation, and community engagement will find this issue rich with frameworks, examples, and provocations relevant to their own practice.

​To read the full Spring 2026 edition of the National Civic Review, visit https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/national-civic-review/issue/spring-2026-volume-115-number-1/