Democracy is not a spectator sport with David Shultz

We are excited to welcome David Schultz, Distinguished University Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at Hamline University to lead this VAN Forum.

Democracy is not something that happens to you. It is something you do.
At its core, democracy is about people; individuals using their voices, organizing power, and shaping the decisions that affect their lives.

This session explores the essential questions of democracy: who participates, what institutions matter, when engagement is most effective, where decisions are made, and why participation is critical.

We will focus especially on how local government works, where democracy is often most immediate and most impactful. You will learn what it takes to be an informed citizen, how decisions are made in your community, and most importantly, how to get involved in ways that matter.

David Schultz is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at Hamline University. For more than four decades, he has worked with community members, students, and public institutions to strengthen civic engagement and amplify voices in local democracies.