public square (public commons)

any place ~ physical, electronic, or metaphorical ~ where citizens gather to express their opinions and exchange views about their community and the world.

>> FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY, TOWN HALL, SOAP BOX, ACTIVISM, SOCIAL CITIZENS



>> Connections <<

Puget Sound Off - a digital commons "for discussion, artistic expression, and action as a way to empower and encourage" young people "to develop a strong public voice." PSO is part of Engaged Youth/Civic Learning Online, a project "exploring how informal online environments can effectively engage the citizenship and learning styles of younger generations." Sponsored by Center for Communication and Civic Engagement, University of Washington (Seattle)



The Public Square at the Illinois Humanties Council "fosters debate, dialogue, and exchange of ideas about cultural, social and political issues with an emphasis on social justice. Our programs promote participatory democracy by creating space for public conversations."



Cleveland's Public Square - "a remnant of 18th-century New England town planning that has become the center of a large metropolis. The square was laid out on one of the 10-acre original town lots of Cleveland's 1796 town plan....The Public Square and its monuments represent more than 200 years of Cleveland's civic life."



National Endowment for the Humanities - We, The People is a program "designed to encourage and enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history, culture, and democratic principles.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.