Free talk offered on civil discourse, democracy
A senior adviser to the president for democracy initiatives is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point next month.
Nancy Thomas will address the audience with a presentation titled “Discourse, Speech, Inclusion, and the Future of Our Democracy” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8. The event will take place in the Laird Room of the Dreyfus University Center, located at 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point. Admission to the talk is free, and it is open to the general public.
During her presentation, Thomas will explore the current state of civil discourse in the United States, as well as the challenges and opportunities that educational institutions face when promoting democratic values and practices. She will also discuss strategies for fostering civil discourse within classrooms and the broader public sphere.
Nancy Thomas serves as the founding director of the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at the American Association of Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. Notably, she designed and launched the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, the largest nationwide study of student participation in elections and democracy.
Thomas’s research interests and advocacy efforts encompass student learning for democracy, institutional engagement in democratic processes, narrowing equity gaps in voting, fostering inclusive campus environments for student political learning, facilitating political discussions within and beyond educational settings, protecting academic freedom, and understanding higher education’s role in democracy.
In addition to her advisory role to the president, Nancy Thomas is a prolific author and editor, having contributed to numerous book chapters, papers, articles, and collections on the subject of higher education’s role in democracy. She holds a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
The presentation is made possible through the support of various university entities, including the Office of the Chancellor, Division of Student Affairs, Division of Academic Affairs, School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science, and the Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation.
