Citizen University's Five P's: A Framework for Civic Engagement During Challenging Times

4/18/2025

Citizen University’s founder, Eric Liu, has introduced "The Five P’s," a practical framework for civic engagement during challenging political times. This approach—Patterns, Perspective, People, Place, and Power—guides citizens in staying informed, building community, and taking meaningful action without feeling overwhelmed. Liu’s insights align closely with NCDD’s mission, offering a valuable resource for those dedicated to dialogue and deliberation. As an NCDD Friend, Citizen University continues to foster responsible, empowered citizenship. Read more in the blog post below.

As part of our ongoing series highlighting resources from NCDD Friends, we're pleased to share insights from Citizen University's founder Eric Liu. In a recent piece published February 2025, Liu offers a practical framework called "The Five P's" to help citizens navigate challenging political times and maintain their civic power.

The Five P's: A Citizen's Guide to Action

In response to citizens asking how not to feel overwhelmed and where to start with civic engagement, Liu has developed this accessible framework:

Patterns

Liu advises citizens to stay informed enough to recognize patterns in current events without becoming consumed by details. The key is finding balance—understanding what's happening without being overwhelmed by the "tactical onslaught" of news and social media.

Perspective

After stepping back from constant news consumption, Liu recommends seeking perspective—whether historical, spiritual, artistic, or natural. This helps place events in proper moral and factual proportion, preventing the mindset where every development feels like an existential crisis.

People

The framework emphasizes in-person connection and community building. Liu encourages citizens to engage face-to-face with both familiar and new people, exercising "the muscles of association and joining" that are fundamental to democratic participation.

Place

Finally, Liu urges citizens to study and practice civic power—understanding constitutional principles, learning how citizens have historically created change, and actively practicing power at the local level through organizing, listening, and collective action.

About Eric Liu

Eric Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University and a nationally recognized voice on civic engagement and democratic participation. He has an impressive background that includes serving as the founding director of the Aspen Institute's Citizenship & American Identity Program and authoring several acclaimed books, such as You're More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen and Become America: Civic Sermons on Love, Responsibility, and Democracy. Liu previously worked as a White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser for President Bill Clinton and was later appointed by President Obama to the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service. In 2020, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, where he co-chairs its Our Common Purpose commission on democratic citizenship. A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Liu was also recognized as an Ashoka Fellow in 2020 for his civic innovation work. He brings this wealth of experience to his framework for citizen action, making the Five P's both theoretically sound and practically applicable.

Why This Matters to the NCDD Community

Citizen University's framework aligns perfectly with NCDD's core values of productive dialogue and deliberation. The Five P's offer a balanced approach that combines awareness with action, perspective with participation, and individual responsibility with collective engagement.

As dialogue and deliberation practitioners, this framework provides valuable touchpoints for helping community members move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered—exactly the kind of transformation our work seeks to facilitate.

For those interested in exploring this framework further, Citizen University offers additional resources, including a recent episode of Slate's How To! podcast where Liu speaks with a citizen taking her first steps in civic engagement. Listen to this podcast episode: slate.com/podcasts/how-to/2025/01/how-to-get-involved-in-local-government

For the complete original article on The Five P's framework by Eric Liu, please visit: https://citizenuniversity.us/news/five-ps/
Citizen University is an NCDD Friend organization dedicated to building a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the country. How are you implementing similar frameworks in your dialogue and deliberation work?
Share your experiences in the comments below!

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