New York abstains "courteously" : essays on civil discourse and civic responsibility / edited by Marie A. Conn and Theŕes̀e McGuire.

The victims of the European witchcraze : an early political smear campaign / Marie A. Conn -- Vertu : an enlightenment ideal / Mary Helen Kashuba -- Civilizing the national discourse : the liberal arts as conversation in John Henry Newman's Idea of a University / Barbara C. Lonnquist -- Out of the gutter : illness and disability in the graphic narrative / Karen J. Getzen -- A teacher educator's re-imagining : finding places and making spaces for transformative civility in schools / Carol M. Pate -- Towards a compassionate conversation : the art of spiritual direction / Carolynne Ervin -- Fear and fundamentalism as barriers to civil discourse / Nancy Porter -- Lessons from the ecumenical lifeworld / Steven Guerriero.

"The idea for this collection of essays emerged from conversations about how the art of civil discourse has become increasingly less visible in American society today, particularly in political activities. ... The themes throughout New York Abstains "Courteously" touch on the very heart of what it means to be a responsible citizen, both in our own country and in the global community. While so many individuals speak about values today, it ultimately seems that the true values undergirding the United States are being overshadowed by partisan politics and private ideologies. The book's contributors take a wide variety of approaches to civil discourse and civic responsibility. Each essay in this collection stands on its own and grows out of the author's unique discipline and experience. The essays, however, are the fruit of ongoing collaboration and intersect with each other in many intriguing ways."--Page 4 of cover.

Includes bibliographical references.