The University of Montana has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to establish a new Democracy Studies Program. Led by history professors Claire Arcenas, Kyle Volk, and Jeff Wiltse, the program aims to promote democratic values, revitalize the humanities, and support faculty research over the next three years. UM is one of 30 institutions in the nation to receive this funding for humanities-focused projects.
The interdisciplinary Democracy Studies Program, the first of its kind in Montana, offers a minor and plans to expand to include a certificate in Civic Knowledge and a major in Democracy Studies. The program also includes a First-Year Civics Initiative to engage students from diverse majors in learning about good citizenship and American democracy history.
The grant will support five faculty research projects related to democracy, including topics like public culture in 19th century America, personal liberty, religious pluralism and multiracial democracy, engagement with the Declaration of Independence, and community-based projects to bridge divides. The goal is to produce cutting-edge scholarship that informs teaching and public understanding of the conditions that have enabled democracy to thrive in the United States.
“This grant will amplify the work of our faculty in the humanities, providing transformative opportunities for students to deepen their understanding of civic engagement, actively contribute to strengthening democracy, and make a lasting impact as future leaders,” said Adrea Lawrence, provost and vice president for academic affairs at UM.
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