The Vanderbilt Project On Unity And American Democracy

With 1,100 enrolled students, the number speaks for itself—PSCI 1150: U.S. Elections is a hot commodity on campus. The elective course offered every four years by the College of Arts and Science is a highly anticipated deep dive into how elections work in the U.S., blending a robust  understanding of history with extensive research from political science. Read More

According to this poll, only 10 percent of Americans don’t believe our democracy is in danger, and slightly over 50 percent think it is “under attack.” The rest of the country felt our system was being “tested.” When asked, instead, about “personal freedom,” a similar pattern emerged. In short, there is widespread concern about the state of democracy and personal freedom—themes that have certainly played out on the campaign trail for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.   Read More

Premiering Aug. 28, The Choice, produced by Dialogue Vanderbilt and featuring Pulitzer Prize–winning author and presidential historian Jon Meacham and Vanderbilt professor, polling expert and political scientist John Geer, will discuss the key moments and the many implications of the 2024 presidential election. Read More

With the first presidential debate of 2024 quickly approaching, the American public is expressing widespread concern about the state of democracy and our Constitution. There is also consensus among Americans that free speech is fundamental to democratic governance, according to the most recent Vanderbilt Unity Poll measuring Americans' views of unity and beliefs on government and democracy.  Read More

Americans saw an uptick in unity for the first time in over a year, with widespread agreement that the U.S. political system needs to be more responsive and an overall distrust of social media influencers, according to the most recent Vanderbilt Unity Poll measuring Americans' views of national unity and the democratic process. Read More

Al-Marayati and Samar Ali, Unity Project co-chair, will explore the shared experiences of Muslim and Arab Americans and the ongoing crisis in Gaza in a timely and insightful conversation at noon on Monday, April 22, at the John Seigenthaler Center. This in-person event is limited to Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff members; you must register using your Vanderbilt email address. Read More

Bestselling author and Vanderbilt alum James Patterson will discuss his prolific writing career, support for literacy initiatives and the power of books and reading in a wide-ranging conversation at Vanderbilt University on Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries, Dialogue Vanderbilt and the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy in collaboration with Parnassus Books, 'An Evening with James Patterson' will be moderated by former NBC News anchor and correspondent John M. Seigenthaler. The event is open to the public, but registration is required to attend. Read More

A conversation between Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, and Morgan Ortagus, former spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, will be Tuesday, March 19, at 4 p.m. CT at the John Seigenthaler Center. Markarova’s participation will provide attendees with an invaluable opportunity to learn about Ukraine’s challenges and geopolitical stance.   Read More

David Brooks, an internationally acclaimed journalist whose work has shaped timely conversations around controversial and complex issues, will receive Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal when he speaks at the university’s 2024 Commencement activities. Brooks’ Graduates Day address will be on May 9 at 11 a.m. on The Commons Lawn. Read More

Don Abram, the visionary founder of Pride in the Pews, will be the next speaker in the Dialogue Vanderbilt faith leader series. His conversation with Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean Yolanda Pierce is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 6 at the John Seigenthaler Center. Read More

Dialogue Vanderbilt continued its mission of fostering meaningful conversations with its second event in its series which aims to cultivate open discussions about faith and how it influences people dealing with pressing societal issues. The discussion featured Maha Elgenaidi, founder of the Islamic Networks Group, in conversation with Vanderbilt University Divinity School Dean Yolanda Pierce.  Read More

Pulitzer Prize–winning author and propaganda expert Anne Applebaum will visit Vanderbilt on March 5 for a discussion of the rise of autocracy in today’s geopolitical climate.  Read More

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy’s latest Vanderbilt Unity Index shows the country continuing its trend toward more polarization, ending 2023 down nearly three points from the start of the year. Read More

The event, hosted by The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy and the Rogers Center for the American Presidency, is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m., and is free and open to the public; registration is required to attend. Read More

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney joined Pulitzer Prize–winning author and professor Jon Meacham, co-chair of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, to speak about the future of U.S. democracy at the inaugural event for the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Center for the American Presidency. Read More

Maha Elgenaidi, founder and executive director of the Islamic Networks Group, will visit Vanderbilt’s Rothschild Black Box Theater next month for a conversation with Divinity School Dean Yolanda Pierce. The discussion is expected to explore Elgenaidi’s perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the theological context and historical backdrop shaping it, along with her advice on effective communication practices around deeply personal and polarizing topics. Read More

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney will share her views on the state of American democracy and the presidency, as well as her first-hand perspective on the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and the ensuing Congressional investigation, in a compelling, exclusive conversation with Jon Meacham, Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Political Science and Pulitzer Prize–winning historian. Read More

Americans overwhelmingly feel that their political systems do not represent them, including compromise on abortion, and they are not confident the American political system accurately reflects their will, according to the latest quarterly Vanderbilt Unity Poll measuring Americans’ unity and beliefs on government and democracy. Read More

Vanderbilt community members interested in expanding their intercultural competency and learning how to better engage across and within differences are encouraged to sign up to be part of the Vanderbilt Unity Lab’s second training cohort. Successful applicants will receive a modest stipend and semester-long training in four internationally recognized modules designed to equip them with the tools necessary to strengthen the bonds of cultural affinity and promote civil discourse. Read More

A free screening of Trustworthy, a new documentary chronicling a 5,300-mile journey across America to explore citizens' search for common ground amidst growing media skepticism, will be co-hosted by the Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Belcourt Theatre from 3 to 6 p.m. CT.   Read More