Dialogue Across Difference

This webinar covers key changes in absentee and mail voting last year, as well as in-person voting options like early voting and vote centers. How are states responding this year—staying the course, returning to previous norms, or fine-tuning their processes? The event is co-hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Humphrey School's Certificate in Election Administrat...

Donald Trump tapped a reservoir of radical hate by scapegoating immigrants and Black Americans victimized by police violence, lying about the presidential election results, and mobilizing a mob to assault Congress. Even as Trump swung away, a powerful story about American democracy emerged. The 2020 election demonstrated the durability of law, the courage of the free press, and the civic determina...

President Joe Biden entered the White House with dire news blasting around him. The coronavirus continues its rampage across America, and the economy is on its knees. The President's much-promised "unity" is being tested by opposition from Republicans and Democrats, who either want more progressive or moderate policies. What are President Biden's prospects? Washington sage Norm Ornstein joins us,...

James Hohmann joins us the day before Joe Biden's inauguration to preview its organization and significance. Drawing on his experiences in Washington, he also discusses Donald Trump's likely impact on the Biden administration and Republican Party and previews the new president's prospects to advance his policy agenda.

The path to empowering Black people lies in the growth of Black equity, wealth, and capital. A growing number of feasible strategies offer a tangible path forward to create financial systems and structures that work equally well for everyone. Prof. Larry Jacobs moderates a conversation with Gary Cunningham, President and CEO of Prosperity Now.

Kate DiCamillo, writer of stories for children, visits to read from her work and talk about the solace and hope that literature offers. The two-time Newbery Award winner is joined by John Schumacher, part-time lecturer at Rutgers University and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic, who will moderate this special event.

Nationally renowned writer Charles Baxter reads and discusses his just-released novel, The Sun Collective, which introduces us to compelling characters who struggle to make sense of a disorienting world and—against the backdrop of the Twin Cities—to form meaningful relationships and communities. U of M English professor and novelist Julie Schumacher moderates a reading and conversation with Baxter...

Join us for a discussion of U.S. foreign policy with Jake Sullivan, incoming National Security Advisor for President-elect Biden and a former deputy chief of staff for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Former Vice President Walter Mondale will join the conversation; Professor Larry Jacobs will moderate.

The 2020 elections whipped up animosity toward pollsters. What did pollsters get wrong? What did they get right? And, why aren't pollsters more accurate? Larry Jacobs is joined by two national stars - prominent survey researcher Columbia University's Robert Y. Shapiro and Kathy Frankovic, former CBS polling chief.

"Democracy is dying" has become a watchword in America today. The reality is that American democracy has endured recurrent crises since the 1790s. Suzanne Mettler joins us to reveal the unique threat today - the worst features of past decay and disruption are all present today. Suzanne Mettler is the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions at Cornell University. She is an award-winning a...

Globalization can be both good and bad, but it is not something that individuals or countries can opt out of. The next president will face enormous challenges on numerous fronts. How can American interests be realistically advanced? Join Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations and former advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell and President George H.W. Bush, for a discussio...

Republican strategist Vin Weber and Democratic strategist Justin Buoen discuss the election results that are reported on Election Day and anticipate the coming battles over the counting of ballots. Professor Larry Jacobs will moderate.

Republican strategist Vin Weber and Democratic strategist Justin Buoen break down the final week of the 2020 national elections.

Donald Trump promised to "Make America Great Again" and yet disarray and decline abound. Over the past 6 months, the President failed to slow the Coronavirus as our allies have done and the economic decline set a record. Still more profoundly, the President and his political allies have undercut the sources of American prosperity and global influence - our cutting edge education and scientific inf...

A record number of women ran in the Democratic presidential nominating contest in 2020; Senator Kamala Harris is running for Vice President; and a record number of women are running for the U.S. Congress in 2020. Yet, women are still underrepresented at every level of office, and two white men are vying for the Presidency. What explains women's gains, persistent underrepresentation, and the future...

Former Senator Al Franken joins us to talk about the approaching elections and what the Coronavirus reveals about America.

For generations, the U.S. Attorneys General have described the Justice Department as serving the broad interests of the American people—instead of a political tool of the sitting president. Attorney General William Barr stands out to his critics as one of the country's most partisan Attorneys General, repeatedly serving the political and personal interests of President Trump. As the U.S. faces a d...

Good elections are secure elections—but what does that mean? Does it mean that election processes help eligible people vote, while thwarting anyone else? Does it mean accurate vote tabulation—and being able to prove that the counting was done right? Does it mean keeping voters safe at the polls? Does it mean giving the voting public a sense of security in a time of disinformation and misinformatio...

This online event took place on August 13, 2020. The Democratic and Republican parties are holding their national conventions to formally nominate their candidates. The Chair of the Democratic National Convention, Tom Perez, discusses the convention and presidential campaign with Justin Buoen (campaign manager for Sen. Amy Klobuchar's presidential run) and Vin Weber (former Republican Member of Co...

American conservatism champions individual freedom, limited government, and social and religious traditions. A number of conservatives—including George Will and Peter Wehner—recoil from President Donald Trump, singling out his erosion of the US. Constitution, budget discipline, and the dignity of his office. Wehner and scholar David Hopkins join us to discuss the state of American conservatism tod...

The coronavirus is stretching our health care system and forcing re-examination of long-followed practices. Telehealth is advancing rapidly and clinical trials and treatment protocols are being assessed at unprecedented speed. As the pandemic develops, will it also reduce inequities in the delivery of care, reorient care toward treating the whole person, and link the payment of hospitals and docto...

The support of white Americans for the Black Lives Matter movement may contribute to the Democratic Party winning elections in November. Republicans disagree. They see an opportunity to use the remedies proposed by Black Lives Matter—especially the dismantling of police departments—to rally white voters. University of Minnesota political science professor Michael Minta leads a distinguished panel...

President Barack Obama's former strategist David Axelrod and star Republican strategist Vin Weber size up the advantages and disadvantages of Former Vice President Joe Biden and President Trump. Biden's vice presidential pick, summer conventions, and fall campaigning are some of the topics.

Minnesota boasts a history of progressivism, yet its racial inequalities are nation-leading. How and why is this the case? This panel discussion features Professor Samuel Myers Jr., Professor Joe Soss, and MayKao Hang, president and founding dean of the University of St. Thomas's College of Health.

Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer (6th CD) chairs the National Republican Campaign Committee. Congressman Emmer is leading the GOP effort to retake the majority in the US House of Representatives. He discussed his work in Congress and the NRCC with Professor Larry Jacobs. This event took place online on June 23, 2020.