Socrates Colombia Seminar

Held in Partnership with the Aspen Institute Initiative Colombia, join the Aspen Institute Socrates Program for our first seminars in Medellín, Colombia.

If you are interested in participating in the program, please reach out to us via email at socrates@aspeninstitute.org.

Can Democracy Fix Democracy?

Democracies all over the world are facing major challenges: polarization, inequality, and dissatisfaction with government seem to increase, and ordinary people with access to new technologies and societal views constitute a new voting pool for society to interact with. This seminar will explore our understanding of democracy, the relation between democracy and governance, as well as the tensions among the values supporting modern society, such as liberty (the freedom to communicate and connect vs. the right to privacy), equality, and security. Moreover, the seminar will conclude by discussing the specific challenges faced by democracies in Latin America and Colombia.

Moderator: Charlie Firestone is the President of the Rose Bowl Institute, which champions sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship, and leverages the power of sports to unite people everywhere. He formerly served as the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program and was an Aspen Institute Executive Vice President.