When people think of civic engagement, they tend to think about political participation — voting in every election, attending every protest, or being an active member of a political party. But civic engagement encompasses much more than just political participation. It defines the ways individuals actively participate in their communities and society, contributing to the public good. At the heart of civic engagement is community, and oftentimes these community connections are facilitated in third places — a space where community members can gather together to build networks and connect.
As defined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place, third places are public spaces on common ground where a diverse group of people can gather and interact. As opposed to first places (home) and second places (work), third places offer a space where people can simply enjoy the company of others. According to Oldenberg, third spaces "host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work." Third places are any public spaces where people gather and build community — places like parks, coffee shops, libraries, cafés, main streets, and many more.
But third places don’t just offer leisure and connection; they are vital facilitators of civic engagement. In third places, you build a network of connections — speaking to colleagues, acquaintances, business owners, city officials, and everyday citizens. Dr. Beau Weston, a sociology professor at Centre College, spoke about how third places create a network of connections that foster civic engagement in an interview with The New Edu.
“There is a concept in sociology of strong ties and weak ties," Weston explained. Weak ties are casual acquaintances that you don’t interact with often, but provide valuable information or connections. "Your strong ties are with your family, with your friends, you communicate a lot, and you know what they know.” But it’s the network of weak ties that “actually transmit information from one strong tie group to another,” said Weston. “And I think a third place is a weak tie factory.”
When you are sitting in a public space in your hometown, say a coffee shop, you are likely to run into one or two people you may recognize. Maybe they know of a job opening that you’re interested in or a project you would love to help with — third places are where that information can be relayed to you.
Dr. Weston offered a real-world example of this: while waiting in line at a local coffee shop, he ran into the city manager. While talking to the manager, he mentioned that he was trying to raise money for a project planting trees throughout the city, and the manager told him “Oh, Kentucky Utilities has a matching grant to plant trees.”
“We have, over the last decade, planted over 500 trees in Danville — just from a little coffeehouse, waiting-in-line conversations,” Dr. Weston said. Not only this, but Dr. Weston now works with the Community Foundation of Louisville to run a yearly campaign to raise funds for the project.
Historically, third places have encouraged civic engagement and even sparked political revolution. In 17th-century Britain, civic engagement and political discourse often occurred in places known as “Penny Universities," which Dr. Weston also referenced in the discussion of third places and civic engagement. Named for the cost of entry, Penny Universities were a type of coffeehouse where people could enjoy coffee, conversation, and intellectual discourse. These establishments shared similar motives to third places, as they served as a place for people of different backgrounds to gather together to discuss ideas, engage in scholarly discourse, and even conduct business. Penny Universities also played a significant role in the development of modern institutions, the democratization of learning, and the spread of Enlightenment philosophies.
Similarly, taverns in colonial America offered places for colonial revolutionaries, such as the Sons of Liberty, to discuss British policies, distribute pamphlets such as Common Sense, and coordinate actions such as the Boston Tea Party — all laying the groundwork for the American Revolution. In my local hometown of Danville, KY, Grayson’s Tavern offers a local example of civic engagement in a third place. The Danville Political Club (DPC) — which consisted of several prominent early Kentuckians, many of whom went on to sign the Kentucky constitution, serve in the U.S. Congress, or hold other political posts — often met at the tavern, coming together once a week to discuss current political issues.
In modern contexts, third places continue to provide a space for civic engagement, community connection, and political discourse. Unfortunately, third places are dying in an age of increasing digital isolation due to the prevalence of social media. “I really can’t think of a public place where I socially gather with my peers outside of school,” said Avery Dunn, a sophomore at Danville High School. She continued, “I think the closest thing to that is on social media, but the only real social interaction there is leaving a like on a post.”
In a survey conducted by Monitoring the Future, the number of high school seniors who gathered in person with friends “almost every day” dropped from 44 percent in 2010 to 32 percent in 2022. For the typical eighth-grade student, social outings decreased from about 2 ½ a week in 2000 to 1 ½ in 2021.
In an age where connection is only a tap away, it is ironic how disconnected many of us actually feel. For students specifically, most social interactions take place behind screens, reduced to DMs, likes, and story replies. According to Dr. Weston, “If you live a virtual life… [you] really are impoverished in [your] social connections and really unlikely to engage in civic action.”
It is imperative that people find regular social interaction outside of screens, as it facilitates community and political engagement. Third places are important spaces for fostering connection and community, and increasing isolation due to social media is threatening this. All of us, and especially younger generations, need to find spaces for regular social interactions and civic activity.
This piece is part of Beyond the Ballot: Student stories of civic engagement, a collaborative journalistic package by KSVT’s storytelling team. This series aims to tell the complex stories of how students in our Commonwealth are engaging with civics inside and outside of the classroom.
