Events
September 18th - Democracy Day
Democracy Day will be held on Friday, September 18th from 9:00AM - 2:30PM in Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. This event features scholars from across campus, each presenting short talks on democracy with various disciplinary context. Registration is encouraged but drop-ins are also welcome!
| 9:00 - 10:30AM | Session 1: Communications, Storytelling, and Journalism | |
| Ashley Muddiman | There’s No Democracy without Communication | |
| Alyssa Appelman | Believe it or not? The effects of journalistic accountability and transparency practices on media credibility. | |
| Aimee Wilson | Pregnancy Stories: The Role of Narrative in US Reproductive Activism | |
| 10:30 - 11:30 AM | Session 2: Democracy Norms and Civic Education | |
| Christopher Koliba | Democracy’s Social Contract: Standards to Inform Accountable Reforms | |
| Sara Taliaferro | Reimagining the Public Square: Civic Life for an Inclusive Democracy | |
| Anna Yonas | One Nation Under God? Fifty States’ Approaches to Teaching Religion in K-12 Public Education | |
| 12:00 - 1:15PM | Session 3: Populism and Corruption | |
| Michael Wuthrich | Party Renewal, Populism, and Democracy | |
| Glenn Adams | Truth or Consequences: Historical Fact Detection and Social/Civic Engagement | |
| Sofia Vera | ||
| 1:15 - 2:30PM | Session 4: Accountability and Reform | |
| Zach Mohr | Re-establishing Trust in Elections | |
| Ben Merriman | How did the American Presidency Get So Strong? | |
| Kevin Mullinix | Civic Norms and the Challenge of Holding Leaders Accountable for Antidemocratic Rhetoric | |
The Future of Democratic Governance Series
The Future of Democratic Governance Series features scholars who address democratic governance from different lenses. View webinars from past events in the series and check back for details on upcoming installments.
People, Politicians and the Press in an Era of Political Norm Violation
Ashley Muddiman, associate professor of communications studies at the University of Kansas, explores political incivility, its impact on democracy, and how it influences public engagement as the U.S. enters a second Trump presidency.
The Challenge to Democracy: Is the Field of Public Administration Ready to Meet It?
Alasdair Roberts, professor of public policy at University of Massachusetts Amherst, discusses whether the liberal-democratic model of government, or the authoritarian alternative, will perform better over the next thirty years when conditions confronting leaders will be exceptionally challenging. From February 2024.
Miracle or Tragedy? Anticipating the Challenges of Administering the 2024 Election
Charles Stewart III, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science, MIT, and Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences,
"We Don't Know What We've Got 'Til It's Gone: Standards for Taking Democracy Seriously"
Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor, School of Public Affairs & Administration at KU and director of the Center for Democratic Governance, explores the core concepts of liberalism and appeals to practitioners across fields, including in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering, to consider how to center democracy in their work.
Where is American Public Administration Headed after the Chevron Decision?
Associate Professor Ben Merriman makes the case that the overturning of Chevron is part of a larger legal pattern that weakens federal agencies, makes politicians more powerful, and erodes the foundations of modern federal administration. Learn more from Merriman about democratic governance and the Chevron ruling.
The 2024 Presidential Election as a Stress Test for American Democracy
Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor, School of Public Affairs & Administration at KU and director of the Center for Democratic Governance, hosted a panel at the recent National Academy of Public Administration relating to how the 2024 elections posed as a stress test to our democracy. Sara Mogulescu, Jodi Sandfort, and Paul Verkuil discussed the implications of the 2024 election on democratic institutions and the public service.
Data and the Deconstruction of the Federal Government
William Resh, PhD, director of the USC Price Civic Leadership Education and Research Initiative, presents INSIGHT+ (Integrated Network Solutions in Government Hiring Trends)
Advancing Transportation Equity and Mobility Justice in an Era of Backlash
Alex Karner, PhD, Associate Professor in the Graduate Program in Community and Regional Planning at the University of Texas, Austin, presents the historical context of transportation justice challenges and examines strategies for advancing equity in an increasingly restrictive policy environment.
Administrative Burdens and Inequality
Pamela Herd, Carol Kakalec Kohn Professor of Social Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, discusses administrative burden, the hurdles people encounter when trying to access governmental benefits and rights.
