Past Events
Student Pitch Day for Democracy
Undergraduate students from the University of Virginia pitch their ideas for civic engagement to a panel of their peers from the Karsh Institute of Democracy’s Student Advisory Council. Winners will be awarded funding to bring their ideas to life.
‘More Perfect’: Renewing American Democracy
Danielle Allen, John Bridgeland, Tiana Epps-Johnson, Elizabeth Green, Kristin Hansen, Ian H. Solomon
More Perfect is leading the charge to unify America around a shared vision for democratic renewal and to realize the shared goal of a more perfect union.
Effective Lawmaking: A Cornerstone of Democracy
Earl Pomeroy, Peter Roskam, Craig Volden, Alan Wiseman
What does it mean to be an effective lawmaker in the United States Congress and American state legislatures? And how essential is effective lawmaking to a functioning democracy?
Books: The Canonical and the Banned
Krystal Appiah, Anne Coughlin, Timothy Denevi, Robyn Gigl, Amy Woolard
Book bans are proliferating throughout the United States. This discussion focuses on the history of bans, their legal status, their politics, and their functions.
Bringing Civic and Ethical Lenses to Students’ Career Preparation
Theresa Castor, Ashley Finley, Dreama Montrief Johnson, Connie Jorgensen, Ashwin Vaidya
For most college students, their chosen major is the centerpiece of college and an envisioned route to future careers. Now many institutions are changing their approach by emphasizing cross-disciplinary questions and courses along with a focus on practical problem-solving in real-world settings.
Millions on the Move: Climate Change, Displacement, and Migration
Jonathan Colmer, Kirsten Gelsdorf, David Leblang, Kayly Ober
There is a climate refugee crisis. What are the current patterns, opportunities, and challenges to humanitarian aid—and how will the future be impacted by what we know today?
Christian Nationalism’s Impact on Democracy
Philip Gorski, Walter Kim, Esau McCaulley, Micah Schwartzman, Amanda Tyler
How does the fringe Christian nationalist movement endanger American democracy? Scholars and faith leaders come together for a conversation that explores the underpinnings of its ideology and what it means for the future.
In Search of Crosswalks: Connecting the K-12 and Postsecondary Civic Learning Movements
Danielle Allen, Martha Kanter, Ace Parsi, Lena Morreale Scott, Nancy Shapiro, Stephanie van Hover
What strategies are educators using to bring high-quality civic learning to 60 million students in 100,000 schools by 2030? Experts in education explore Maryland’s efforts to align K-12 and postsecondary civic learning.
Civics 101: Educating Engaged Citizens and Future Leaders
Carrie Billy, Arne Duncan, Aimee Rogstad Guidera, James E. Ryan
Experts in education discuss the critical influence of civic learning on workforce development, the role two-year institutions of higher education play, and what it means to educate whole citizens.
Constructive Dialogue Institute: Fostering Dialogue Skills in Students
Jacob Fay
Participants review the prepare-support-intervene (PSI) approach, which gives educators the tools to prepare students, support them during conversation, and intervene if de-escalation is required.