Across three days of dialogue, debate, and storytelling, the Karsh Institute’s Democracy360 brought together a dynamic mix of thought leaders, journalists, policymakers, scholars, artists, and students to confront the challenges facing democracy today and imagine its future. Thousands of participants from across the country gathered to listen, question, and collaborate, turning ideas into action and conversation into connection. Together, they explored how shared experiences can deepen understanding, strengthen civic trust, and help shape a thriving democratic future.
“At its core, democracy depends on people who are informed, engaged, and willing to think critically, debate respectfully, and find common purpose despite differences,” said Melody Barnes, executive director of the Karsh Institute of Democracy.
“At its core, democracy depends on people who are informed, engaged, and willing to think critically, debate respectfully, and find common purpose despite differences.”
Held October 15–17, 2025, in Charlottesville, Democracy360—the Institute’s signature biennial gathering—was an exciting three days of bold ideas, meaningful conversations, and visionary thinking. The free public events included an exclusive preview of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution, a special live edition of PBS News’ Washington Week with The Atlantic, and marquee discussions with leading journalists, historians, and authors exploring how democracy can thrive as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary.
Watch Democracy360 mainstage events
A defining feature of Democracy360 was its spirit of participation. Across nine public sessions and five working sessions, attendees came together across generations and perspectives to examine the challenges facing democracy and imagine bold, collaborative solutions.
“Though we hold a wide range of perspectives and political affiliations, we are united by a shared belief in democracy’s promise,” said UVA Interim President Paul Mahoney to a packed house at The Paramount Theater on the event’s opening evening.
Presented in partnership with The Atlantic as the official media partner and VPM as the distribution partner, Democracy360 also marked the launch of the Karsh Institute’s work commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, inviting participants to think deeply and creatively about the next 250 years of American democracy.
Collaboration, dialogue, and listening as democratic practice
“Democracy is an ongoing conversation,” said Bryan Paul, a curricular fellow for the College Debates and Discourse Alliance. “If we can’t have conversations on the most challenging, the most controversial issues facing our nation today, how can you possibly expect to ‘keep’ this republic, as Benjamin Franklin said?”
Paul led “Join the Conversation: A ‘Braver Angels’ Debate,” giving 10 debaters from UVA, local high schools, and the wider community an opportunity to take the podium with support from experienced coaches. He encouraged the audience to “shed our hierarchy,” listen deeply, and lead with respect. Healthy debate, he said, should “never stifle emotion, but channel it into constructive thoughts to encourage conversation.”
A Monticello-inspired lunchtime dialogue, “Join the Conversation: Feast of Reason,” modeled on Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner parties, used prompts from a custom conversation card deck to spark small-group discussions exploring how we live out democratic ideals today.
Storytelling and journalism build understanding and inspire shared purpose
Highlighting the power of stories to bridge divides and illuminate diverse perspectives, participants reflected on how democracy is sustained not only through institutions and norms but through the human stories that connect us.
Beth Macy, award-winning author of Dopesick and Factory Man, joined Barnes for “Stories That Bind Us: A Conversation with Beth Macy.” Macy, who had just released her new memoir, Paper Girl, discussed how storytelling can illuminate unseen struggles, foster empathy, and reconnect communities.
“Local news outlets don’t just provide ‘news you can use,’” Macy said. “They tell empathy-building stories that strengthen communities. When I wrote about teen pregnancies in Roanoke, the city responded, created a task force, and the rate went down. There’s no capacity for that work anymore unless you’re The New York Times.”
“Local news outlets don’t just provide ‘news you can use.’ They tell empathy-building stories that strengthen communities."
At “Washington Week with The Atlantic @ D360,” Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg joined staff writers Tom Nichols, Vivian Salama, and Nancy Youssef for a live edition of the PBS series, streamed from Democracy360. The panel explored U.S. national security, global challenges, and the health of democracy at home and abroad.
Imagination inspires creativity and solutions for the future
Democracy360 invited participants to imagine new ways of strengthening civic life—making it more participatory and accessible.
“It’s the great American experience,” said Alicia Miecznikowski, a student at Virginia Peninsula Community College who attended the “Declaration Next” working session, where students from across Virginia envisioned America’s next 250 years. “Maybe not everybody agrees, but dispute and discussion are the most important parts of finding a way forward.”
During “Join the Conversation: Common Ground, Common Sound,” participants turned music into a shared civic act. Students, artists, and community members played maracas, triangles, and makeshift drums alongside professional musicians, demonstrating how collective sound can foster connection and embody democracy’s rhythm—diverse voices working in concert.
In addition to public events, scholars and practitioners from across the country convened for working sessions exploring the future of democracy. In “Cultivating America’s Civic Renewal,” participants discussed rebuilding the connective tissue within American communities and articulating a renewed vision for civic life. Meanwhile, the three-day Higher Education Democracy Exchange (HEDx) brought together more than 40 thought leaders, practitioners, and scholars to explore data-driven strategies for expanding civic learning and engagement across campuses nationwide.
Democracy’s strength ultimately lies in people
Experts also examined how technology, the economy, and community intersect to shape democracy in the 21st century. In “Building the American Dream: Work, Tech, and Community in a Shifting Economy,” panelists shared perspectives on how to make the American dream more attainable—and found common ground around one central idea: people need to feel heard by their leaders.
“I think there’s an increasing recognition from both sides that if local communities don’t have the authority to make their own choices, we will lose a lot,” said Oren Cass, founder and chief economist of American Compass.
“I think there’s an increasing recognition from both sides that if local communities don’t have the authority to make their own choices, we will lose a lot.”
Offering another perspective, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie emphasized listening as a democratic practice. “When you ask what is to be done,” he said, “part of my answer is that those responsible for representing the public should listen to the public—not the national public, but the discrete public that they represent.”
Democracy takes concerted effort; history is our guide
Former Department of Justice spokesperson Sarah Isgur and Ambassador (ret.) Norman Eisen joined moderator Evan Smith, co-founder of The Texas Tribune and member of the Karsh Institute Advisory Board, for “Guardrails of Democracy: The Law, Institutions, and the American Experiment.” The discussion examined how the Constitution, courts, and civic norms respond under strain—and how they evolve amid political and legal change.
“We all need to hold our political beliefs with a certain amount of humility,” Isgur reflected, emphasizing the balance between conviction and compromise that sustains democracy.
Attendees filled The Paramount Theater for an exclusive screening of Ken Burns’ forthcoming PBS documentary The American Revolution. The screening, part of “Becoming America: Past, Promise, and the Path Ahead at 250,” was followed by a panel of historians and journalists reflecting on the nation’s founding ideals and what they demand of us today.
“Despair is easy,” said Monticello President Jane Kamensky. “Democracy is hard.” Her words underscored a central theme: sustaining democracy requires both imagination and effort—and every participant has a role to play.
Building a culture of democratic renewal
Sessions throughout the event invited participants to strengthen civic life by making it more inclusive, participatory, and accessible. At “Join the Conversation: Democracy in Action,” Karsh Institute Practitioner Fellows joined nearly 100 students and community members to explore practical ways to build civic trust and participation—from innovations at the voting booth, such as ranked-choice ballots, to neighborhood gatherings that bring people together in dialogue and purpose.
In the “Optimizing American Democratic Capitalism for the 21st Century” working session, scholars and students examined how to strengthen democratic capitalism amid political polarization, focusing on strategies that better serve American interests at home and abroad. Hosted by the Democracy and Capitalism Lab, the session will produce a policy playbook outlining practical steps for reform.
Meanwhile, “Free Speech on College Campuses,” a working session hosted by Think Again @ UVA and the Campus Discourse Project, convened national leaders to discuss how universities can foster dialogue and strengthen civic understanding. The working session concluded with a lively “Disagree with a Professor” event on UVA’s Lawn, where students engaged in open, respectful exchanges across viewpoints.
The impact of these sessions will extend far beyond Democracy360. Together, they laid the groundwork for new partnerships and future initiatives that will continue advancing the Karsh Institute’s mission to strengthen democracy through understanding, participation, and shared purpose.