Guest post by Ashlea Raemer You likely have strong feelings and memories associated with March 2020. One minute, it was business as normal. The next, people were stockpiling toilet paper and told not to leave their homes for two weeks. Then for one month. Then for another. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone… Read more »
Entries by OCE
Expanding The Observing Civic Engagement Lab
By Claire Woodward The Observing Civic Engagement Lab has been operating for 14 years, including projects in Bloomington and Indianapolis. We are excited to expand our research on communities across three new areas across the United States, generously funded by The Trust of Civic Life. The Trust for Civic Life works with more than two… Read more »
Participating Organization Spotlight: Tibetan Buddhist Mongolian Cultural Center
By Claire Woodward We continue to study community organizations, including several faith-based organizations in our research. The Tibetan Buddhist Mongolian Cultural Center (TMBCC) joined our research study in the fall of 2024. If you’re a Bloomington resident, you might know the TMBCC as a unique part of our city’s history. In 1950, Thubten Jigme Norbu,… Read more »
Bowling Alone: Civic Engagement May Be Declining, But It’s Still Happening
By Claire Woodward Twenty-five years ago, Robert Putnam detailed the decline of civic engagement over the latter half of the twentieth century in his iconic book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000). Putnam uses the example of bowling leagues to illustrate how Americans have become increasingly disconnected from family, friends,… Read more »
Participating Organization Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity
By Claire Woodward We are very grateful for the participating organizations in our Bloomington community, which has grown to 45 organizations as of April 2025. One of our earliest participants was Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. Habitat for Humanity aims “to expand affordable housing solutions by partnering with people in our community.” Staff and… Read more »
What is a Civil Society Organization?
By: Claire Woodward It’s a Wednesday night. You’re headed out to play basketball with some friends. Or maybe you’re headed to a book club. Or a neighborhood association meeting. Regardless, you’re getting together with other people—practicing community. These associations are all a part of what is known as civil society. A quick Google search would define… Read more »
In the room where it happens
By: Claire Woodward Most of us have participated in some sort of community group: maybe a book club, a religious organization, or a more formal nonprofit community. These experiences might vary widely in terms of size, formality, and function, but they all serve the same purpose of creating community over a shared belief, passion, value, or… Read more »