Annette Strauss Institute

The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Participation was established at The University of Texas at Austin in 2000 to respond to growing political cynicism and disaffection in the United States.

Studies that show deep pockets of unhappiness in the United States also indicate equally strong pockets of civic hope. Our challenge is to blend one of the oldest human instincts - the need for community - with new ways of helping people help one another.

The goals of the institute are (1) to conduct cutting-edge research on the ways in which civic participation and community understanding are undermined or sustained, and (2) to develop new programs for increasing democratic understanding among citizens.

The Strauss Institute is well positioned to carry out its national mission. Based in the nation's second most populous state at a premier public research university, it is aligned with the University's public role of designing and testing new ways of increasing civic involvement. It benefits from the collective expertise of scholars who are nationally renowned for their contributions to the study and development of civic participation. Dedicated to applied research, the institute will focus on how new technologies of communication can be used to increase political understanding.

Mission

The Institute's mission is strictly non-partisan. It works within communities to engage people in the political process, teach them about the nation's democratic heritage, and encourage them to take leadership roles.

History

Founded in 2000, the Institute is named after Annette Greenfield Strauss, an extraordinary woman whose accomplishments and commitments were legion. Mrs. Strauss served on the Dallas City Council from 1983 through 1987 and then as mayor from 1987 to 1991. By the time she became mayor, Mrs. Strauss had spent some forty years as a city volunteer and community activist. As mayor of Dallas, Mrs. Strauss was said to be one of the few persons who had equal access to the City's diverse communities. When she died in December of 1998, an entire city mourned her passing.