Past Events
Covering the White House
Peter Baker, Laura Barrón-López, Elaina Plott Calabro, Mike Emanuel, Judy Woodruff
This panel of esteemed journalists—moderated by PBS News’ Judy Woodruff—offers its insights on what it takes to report on the innerworkings of the White House, especially in times of crisis.
Stories of America: Democracy, Identity, and Culture
Melody Barnes, Daniel Darling, Conor Friedersdorf, Cecilia Muñoz, Annise Parker
What does it mean to be an American? In this time of deep polarization, is it possible for all sides to embrace a shared national identity?
Education and Democracy: UVA Equity Center’s Starr Hill Pathways
Panelists discuss how universities as anchor institutions can effectively support access to educational resources for underrepresented local youth in the Charlottesville-Albemarle region of Virginia.
Student Showcase: Participating in Democracy
How do students learn about and engage with key ideas and practices of democracy? Students offer their answers through the lenses of different fields and areas of study—music, history, writing, urban and environmental planning, law, and environmental sciences.
Public Media and Democracy
Margaret Low, Evan Smith, Lauren Williams, Kimi Yoshino
A panel of media veterans explores innovative news models, the role public media plays in sustaining an engaged democratic culture, and the future of journalism in America.
President’s Council on UVA-Community Partnerships: Anchor Institutions as Civic Participants
Ben Allen, Harold Folley, Pace Lochte, Cristine Nardi, James E. Ryan, Ridge Schuyler
Panelists discuss how the University of Virginia has worked collaboratively to address key challenges to civic participation, including housing, workforce development, educational opportunities, and access to health care.
Democracy and Demography: Changing Racial Makeup
Qian Cai, Nichole M. Flores, Hamilton Lombard, Meghan Murray
In the United States, an aging population that is predominantly white and an increasingly diverse youth population have fueled a sense of anxiety, insecurity, or even fear about who is the majority, who has the power, and whose democracy it will be.
Toward a More Responsible and Effective Presidency (Day Two)
William Antholis, Don Baer, Peter Baker, Laura Barrón-López, Bob Bauer, Joshua Bolten, Meena Bose, Valerie Smith Boyd, Robert Bruner, Stephen Burns , and more
Leading scholars, journalists, and key practitioners, drawn from both Republican and Democratic administrations, focus on how to fix problems with the American presidency on day two of this two-day discussion.
Race, Learning, and American Democracy
Derrick P. Alridge, Laurent Dubois, Bobbie Laur, Tia Brown McNair, Jeremy C. Young
An examination of the nation’s racial learning landscape and the actions that educators can take to help all students fully explore our nation’s past and, going forward, contribute to societal choices about racial healing.
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.