Past Events Archive

The Latinx community in the United States is heterogeneous and omnipresent, representing every corner of the country and many political priorities. The 2024 presidential election and many down ballot races will rely heavily on this important voting population. Join us to hear from Chuck Rocha, who began his political career in the woods of East Texas at United Rubber Workers Local 746. Chuck has worked on several presidential, Congressional and gubernatorial races through the years, including both of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns.

John Kasich, the Republican governor of Ohio (2011-2019), and Steve Bullock, the Democrat governor of Montana (2013-2020), are both considered moderates in their respective parties. Join them for this Conversation Across Differences as they discuss ways to have civil and civic discourse in an era of political divisiveness.

The University of Michigan is an institution with diverse communities, interests and opinions. This fall, the Faculty Senate Office, supported by Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement, the Michigan in Washington (MIW) program, and the Ginsberg Center, is launching the series – Political Speech and the Public Square – to provide a forum for members of the U-M community to present informed, fact-based perspectives, and to listen to and learn from each other. Offered in the spirit of intellectual humility, to support the principles of academic freedom, and to develop a campus climate comfortable with hearing different well-informed points of view, even those counter to one’s own views, the lunchtime series will take place on the Diag on four biweekly Tuesdays in September and October leading up to the general election. Any student, staff, or faculty member of the University can sign up in advance to speak on the weekly topic for 2 minutes. Or you can simply come to listen and learn.

War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise. The screening will be followed by a conversation moderated by Zoe Clark (Michigan Public) featuring Former Governor Steve Bullock, Javed Ali (Ford School), Morela Hernandez (Ford School), and Cliff Lampe (School of Information).

Join Jonathan Van Ness for a live recording of his podcast "Getting Curious," as he comes to University of Michigan to record the episode Getting Out the Vote. A hairstylist by trade turned personality, writer, and comedian, Van Ness will train his sharp wit on voter engagement efforts in a lively and entertaining conversation that will feature U-M scholars and students and prominent public officials. The event is exclusively for the University of Michigan community and will include voices from across campus.

The White House is arguably the most important single organization in U.S. democracy. Why, then, is it often disorganized, inefficient, and scandal-prone? What can be done to make it more effective? To answer these questions, Prof. Kenneth Lowande and Christopher P. Liddell, a former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, engage in a conversation that bridges research and practice.

Joe Walsh, Former Tea-Party Congressional Representative (R-IL) and gun-rights supporter, and Fred Guttenberg, a businessman-turned-activist following his daughter’s murder in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, once had a vitriolic relationship on Twitter (now X) and national networks. Recognizing the damage of such divisive posturing, Walsh and Guttenberg began to forge a friendship. Join us to hear how two high-profile advocates from opposite ends of the political spectrum found common ground on contentious issues through respect, understanding, and a willingness to listen and learn.

Through the theme of Climate Civics, the 2024 Michigan Climate Summit will explore the intersections between civic engagement, social justice, and climate action. Goals of this year's gathering include depicting the interlocking crises of democracy and climate justice, empowering lifelong climate voters, and inspiring and sustaining civic engagement in our communities. Keynote speakers include author, educator, and environmentalist Bill McKibben and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Five candidates. One winner. You decide who survives.

On the brink of a presidential election that people on both sides have called the most consequential in history, Belgium’s extraordinary Ontroerend Goed offers a fun and thought-provoking, examination of free will and politics that puts electronic voting devices — and the candidates’ fates — directly into the hands of audience members.

The Ginsberg Center, Michigan Community Scholars Program, and the Washtenaw Regional Organizing Coalition (WeROC) are collaborating to develop a series of campus/community intergenerational dialogues around voting this fall. The goal of these nonpartisan dialogues is to build understanding across generations (and other demographic groups) around attitudes toward voting and other forms of civic engagement. (Image: Unseen Histories on Unsplash)