Democratic Discontent: A Public Symposium on Civility and Democracy in America

FAIN: MB-50019-10

National Constitution Center (Philadelphia, PA 19106-1514)
Steve M. Frank (Project Director: June 2010 to September 2010)
Hugh O. Allen (Project Director: September 2010 to September 2011)
Kerry Sautner (Project Director: September 2011 to July 2012)

Planning and implementation of a public forum and workshop exploring the role of dissent and protest in American culture, in order to contextualize and address the current state of public discourse and the issue of civility.

The National Constitution Center requests NEH funding for a public forum and follow-up up program design workshop which will approach the theme of "Civility and Democracy" through an interdisciplinary exploration of the role of dissent and protest in American culture. The forum's three main parts -- a keynote address, small group discussion sessions, and a large town-hall style exchange -- have all been specifically designed to foster active public engagement. Scholars from a range of academic fields will guide discussion of such key themes as the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, the concept of civic virtue, the importance of dissent and deliberation in America's constitutional democracy, and the ways in which particular rhetorical modes and media forms can contribute to or detract from productive public discourse. The workshop will lead to the design of nationwide programming on dissent and civility.