Alexandra Hudson, founder of Civic Renaissance, is on a mission to elevate public discourse and mend societal rifts through the wisdom of the past. Her book, “The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves,” explores how genuine civility can bridge today’s political divide.
“The most important question of our day is how do we flourish across deep differences?” she told a 2024 NCSL Legislative Summit session.
Hudson says her experience in local, state and federal levels of government and policy helped shape her views on civility. During her tenure at the U.S. Department of Education, she says she observed two behavior extremes. “There were those who were overly hostile and would sharp-elbow others to get ahead,” she says. “And others were polished and poised and polite. These were the people who would smile and flatter you one minute and stab you in the back the next. It felt like constant guerrilla warfare.”
These experiences led Hudson to reflect on deeper questions about humanity and respect. “What does it mean to be human? What is the bare minimum of respect we’re owed by virtue of our humanity and dignity? What does that look like in practice, even in our deeply divided moment?”
Hudson says there is a clear distinction between civility and politeness, terms people often mistakenly use interchangeably. “Politeness is about manners, technique and etiquette—external behaviors,” she says. “Where civility is something deeper and richer—it’s a disposition of the heart. It’s a way of showing others a bare minimum amount of respect just by our shared dignity and moral status as members of the human community.”