What are study circles?
Study circles are grounded historically in the U.S. town meeting tradition and in the study groups of the Chautauqua era at the turn of the century. Most simply, they are groups of 5 to 15 people who agree to meet several times usually for 4 or 5 sessions to grapple with a social or political issue in a democratic, nonpartisan, and collaborative way. Complex issues are broken down into manageable subdivisions, and controversial topics are dealt with in depth. Meeting for several sessions provides the opportunity to develop continuity and camaraderie. At the same time, setting a specific and limited number of sessions makes it possible for busy people to participate. Accessible reading material provides a common starting point for the discussions and helps group members consider a range of views. Study circles are voluntary and highly participatory. They do not look to experts for the final word on an issue, but use expert opinion as one way to inform ideas and choices. All viewpoints a
