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ENACTing Change

A Handbook for Teaching Advocacy and Civic Engagement

Kathleen Cole, Robert W. Glover, Richard J. Meagher, Katharine A. Owens, Edited by Melissa Stimell

ENACT: The Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation aims to teach college students about democracy through engagement with the state legislative process. Built on the values of knowledge, cooperation, justice, and integrity, ENACT is a national, intercollegiate nonpartisan network. The program empowers students to be active participants in democratic processes by connecting with policymakers and community organizations, conducting research and analysis, and informing public policy with evidence and expertise.  

ENACTing Change introduces teachers to the philosophy and practice of the ENACT model—which includes workshops, courses, an online network, as well as pilot projects and other initiatives—while providing detailed guidance on how to incorporate the model into their courses, regardless of discipline or educational settings. The book offers instructors recommendations for developing and teaching courses that engage in state-level policy advocacy with a focus on learning outcomes. ENACTing Change takes instructors through each step of the course design process, from how to build the relationships needed to teach the class to the next steps for students to work in the community after ENACT.  

Series: 
Paper: $35 | Cloth: $130 | E-book: $34.95
ISBN-13: 9781684582839
Pages: 184 | Size: 6 in. x 9 in.
Date Published: October 31, 2025
Imprint: 
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About the Author

Robert W. Glover

Robert W. Glover is Associate Professor of Political Science and Honors at the University of Maine. He is co-director of the Maine Chapter of the Scholars Strategy Network. Recent research projects have examined drug policy attitude formation and citizen involvement in election administration. He is the co-editor of a multi-volume series on honors education (Rowman and Littlefield) and Teaching Politics Beyond the Book: Film, Texts, and New Media in the Classroom (Continuum).
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Richard J. Meagher

Richard J. Meagher is Professor of Political Science and Political Science Department Chair at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. He is a faculty fellow for both ENACT and the Network for Vocational Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), and the author of Local Politics Matters: A Citizen’s Guide for Making a Difference (Lantern).
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Melissa Stimell

Melissa Stimell is a Professor of the Practice in the Legal Studies Program at Brandeis University. She is the chair of the Program in Social Justice and Social Policy. She serves as the director of The International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life.
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Kathleen Devon Cole

Kathleen Cole is Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Social Science Department at Metropolitan State University in Minnesota. As an organizer, her work is focused on the abolition of police and prisons and the establishment of care infrastructure, to ensure everyone has what they need to thrive. Her research has been published in Politics, Groups, and Identities and Political Science Education.
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Katharine A. Owens

Katharine A. Owens is Professor and Department Chair of Politics, Economics, and International Studies and Director of the Rell Center for Public Service at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. She is both a National Geographic Explorer and a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar, and her research has been published in Frontiers in Environmental Science and Sustainability. 
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