Civil Discourse

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier has joined a group of university presidents leading diverse institutions from across the country in a new initiative to address civic engagement and promote civil discourse on college campuses and beyond. The College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a new initiative convened by The Institute for Citizens and Scholars, aims to leverage collective wisdom and collaborative strategies to cultivate a new generation of empowered, democratic-minded citizens.    Read More

The tournament, scheduled for Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, is recognized as the largest college debate competition in the world, attracting more than 400 teams from educational institutions across the globe. This is the third time Vanderbilt Debate will participate in face-to-face debates at the WUDC, having previously represented the university in 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, and in 2022 in Madrid, Spain. The team’s participation underscores Vanderbilt’s commitment to fostering intellectual rigor and global engagement through the art of debate.  Read More

Robert Talisse’s Open Inquiry Award recognizes his work on effective argumentation—an increasingly relevant topic for today’s polarized campuses and public squares. His work provides astute observations about the current climate and offers invaluable solutions to decrease polarization and improve constructive discourse. Read More

The program is designed to host a cohort of thought leaders with competing and sometimes conflicting views on policy issues and social problems. These visitors will engage with students, faculty, the public and each other to model reasoned, evidence-based civil debate. The first public event sponsored by the program will be on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m. Read More

In a reaffirmation of its commitment to free expression, Vanderbilt University today launched Dialogue Vanderbilt. The initiative aims to provide a range of programs to students, faculty and the broader community to promote civil discourse and better understand and address political polarization. Read More

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, including an undergraduate course, encourages civil discourse during a time of deep polarization. Read More

John G. Geer, a distinguished political scientist, a dedicated teacher and a longtime administrative and academic strategy leader at Vanderbilt University, will take on a new role in the Office of the Chancellor. Geer has been named a senior advisor to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier on key strategic initiatives that promote democracy, free expression and open dialogue—all flagship priorities for the university. Read More

Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos remembers Senator John McCain and how he modeled civil discourse through his service to our country in this week's edition of his column. Read More

Acknowledging that their Vanderbilt degrees will grant 2018 graduates a wide range of options, Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos offered up five specific ways to use their education for good. Read More

Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos reflects on the host of notable speakers Vanderbilt has welcomed this academic year, and the university's role as a convener of critical conversations and facilitator of civil discourse, in this week's column. Read More

The principles of public service and civil discourse helped build the foundation of our democracy, and America’s universities play an important role in keeping those values thriving, Chancellor Zeppos says in his latest column. Read More

Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates Joins Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos on "The Zeppos Report" to discuss the importance of civil discourse and her 27-year career in the Department of Justice. Read More