Tom Schnaubelt | Becoming a Citizen in the Age of Algorithms

Why It Matters

Because algorithmic mediation reshapes how citizens learn, engage, and trust institutions, failing to adapt civic education risks deepening polarization and eroding democratic legitimacy.

Key Takeaways

• Algorithms reshape civic identity and democratic participation across platforms.
• AI amplifies educational inequities, favoring affluent schools over resources.
• Civic education must bridge ideology and model inquiry amid algorithmic bias.
• Teachers avoid controversial topics due to fear of pushback, limiting discourse.
• Leveraging algorithms responsibly can strengthen community engagement and citizenship.

Summary

Tom Schnaubelt, director of the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions, addressed Stanford’s Tech Impact and Policy Center on what it means to be a citizen when algorithms dominate information flows. He framed the discussion around democratic citizenship, civic identity, and the urgent need to rebuild trust in American institutions.

Schnaubelt highlighted three interlocking challenges: the corrosive effect of social‑media algorithms on mental health and political polarization; AI’s uneven impact on civic education, where affluent schools use it for creativity while under‑resourced schools become passive consumers; and a growing reluctance among teachers to tackle controversial civic topics, driven by fear of community pushback.

He illustrated these points with vivid examples—a dinner‑party query about Japanese MLB players answered instantly by AI, underscoring the gap between information retrieval and wisdom; classical definitions of wisdom from Aristotle, Plato and Kant to stress moral self‑awareness; and survey data showing 75 % of civic educators avoid contentious subjects, with 71 % citing parental pressure. A personal anecdote about leading a student‑run fire‑policy project in the Rincon Mountains served as a model of experiential civic identity formation.

The talk concluded that algorithmic tools can be repurposed to foster inclusive civic engagement if they are paired with inquiry‑based pedagogy and cross‑ideological dialogue. Policymakers, educators, and civil‑society groups must prioritize equitable AI access, protect teachers’ curricular autonomy, and embed the core commitments of civic identity to safeguard democratic participation in the digital age.

Original Description

About the Seminar:

What does it mean to become a citizen in an age of polarization, platforms, and declining trust in institutions? This 60-minute seminar explores how civic identity is formed, why American civic education is struggling to keep pace with social and technological change, and what that means for democracy. Drawing on research and hands-on experience in civic education, the session examines how colleges, communities, and digital environments shape civic habits, beliefs, and participation—often in unintended ways. The seminar will describe a variety of innovative approaches to civic learning and asks how technology can move from fragmenting civic life to playing a role in revitalizing democratic knowledge, skills, and behaviors.

About the Speaker:

Prior to assuming the role of Executive Director of the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at the Hoover Institution in 2023, Tom served as a Lecturer and Senior Advisor on Civic Education at the Deliberative Democracy Lab, within the Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Tom came to Stanford in 2009 and has served as the Associate Vice Provost for Education, the Executive Director of the Haas Center for Public Service, and a Resident Fellow in Branner Hall, where he and his wife oversaw the development and implementation of a living-learning community focused on public service and civic engagement. In 2015, Tom coordinated the launch of Cardinal Service, a university wide effort to elevate and expand public service as a distinctive feature of the Stanford experience, and he has launched and led several national initiatives focused on democratic engagement and social change education.

Prior to coming to Stanford in 2009, Tom served as the Dean for Community Engagement and Civic Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and was the founding Executive Director of Wisconsin Campus Compact. Tom began his career as the first service-learning coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi. During his eight years in Mississippi, Tom coordinated statewide academic-community partnerships, including several large AmeriCorps programs focused on educational equity and environmental sustainability, and launched the Mississippi Center for Community and Civic Engagement.

Tom’s personal vision is to connect people with themselves, each other, and the earth in ways that contribute to the common good and build a more perfect union. His work in higher education focuses on democratic engagement, and place-based and experiential learning that fosters civic identity and the capacity to engage constructively across differences. He has extensive experience creating university-community partnerships and his experiences span geographic, disciplinary, and institutional boundaries. Tom received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan, and Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.