Berkman Luncheon Series >
1
2008
Social Citizens: Millennial Activism in the Connected Age
Allison Fine
Allison Fine will discuss Social Citizens, young people ages 15-29 who practice a nascent model of civic participation that combines immersion in social causes, idealism, digital fluency. Young people are drawn to the promise and fulfillment of activism and are participating in large numbers across a vast landscape of causes. The nature of their participation raises new, interesting questions for study and discussion: Will Millennials engage in public policy and government beyond electoral campaigns? Can we break the “bubble culture” of online social networks and create dialogue across networks? Are there new measures to assess the efficacy of social networks in influencing activist efforts?
About Allison
Allison is a successful social entrepreneur and writer dedicated to helping grassroots organizations and activists successfully implement social change efforts. Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age, the winner of the Terry McAdams National Book Award, was published in 2006 by Wiley & Sons.
As a senior fellow on the Democracy Team at Demos: A Network for Change and Action in New York City, Allison researches and writes about the future of social change and civic engagement in this new digital age.
Allison’s articles have been published in the Boston Globe, San Jose Mercury Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. She is also a frequent contributor to Huffington Post, Personal Democracy Forum, Alternet and the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Allison served as the C.E.O. of The E-Volve Foundation in 2004-2005, and was the Founder and Executive Director of Innovation Network, Inc. from 1992-2004.
Allison currently serves on the board of directors of Just Vision, a nonprofit organization that increases awareness about Palestinian and Israeli non-violent, civilian-led efforts to build a base for peace in the Middle East. Ms. Fine has a Masters in Public Administration from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Vanderbilt University. From 1987-1989, Ms. Fine served as an elected trustee of the Village of Sleepy Hollow, NY and was appointed the Fire and Police Commissioner.
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Last updated October 31, 2008