Our Civic and Constitutional Approach
How American civic traditions inform the way CGS USA researches, convenes, and publishes, and where the limits of that claim lie.
CGS USA’s work is informed by American traditions of freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, petition, and open public debate. These traditions help create the conditions in which research can be tested, disagreement can be heard, and institutions can be held to account.
We are a private nonprofit, not a government body
The U.S. Constitution protects defined rights primarily against government action. CGS USA is a private nonprofit organization, not a government body. Our commitment to open inquiry is an institutional practice: we seek diverse, relevant perspectives; use fair participation criteria; moderate for safety and purpose; and retain editorial responsibility for what we publish and host.
We do not treat pluralism as false equivalence. Evidence, expertise, relevance, respectful conduct, and the rights and safety of participants guide our research and convening decisions.
How this commitment appears in practice
- Public-interest research with disclosed methods, authorship, support, and limitations.
- Nonpartisan events that include meaningful differences in viewpoint where relevant and feasible.
- Clear distinctions among institutional statements, staff work, authored analysis, and guest remarks.
- Transparent moderation and participation rules.
- Accessible formats and reasonable ways to request assistance or alternative access.
- A corrections process for substantive errors.
The rules we hold ourselves to
Our nonpartisan policy sets out how we handle candidates, parties, elections, and legislation. Editorial standards cover authorship, review, and disclosure.