Contact: Beth Slater
Coordinator, Aspen Community Programs
The Aspen Institute
beth.slater@aspeninstitute.org
Tel. 970-544-7914
Aspen, CO, January 11, 2012 –– The Aspen Institute is pleased to announce the 2012 Great Conversation program: “The Pleasures and Perils of Democracy.” The series will take place on Thursday, January 12, Thursdays, January 12, 26, February 9, 23, March 8, 22 at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Koch Building at the Aspen Institute. Participation in the 6-week series is open to anyone and costs $210 for the public and $190 for donors, which includes readings.
The series will tackle questions regarding “The Pleasures and Perils of Democracy:” Is American Democracy an adequate vehicle for achieving The Good Life? A democratic culture flourishes in proportion to the quality of its public discourse and the capacity of its citizens and institutions to foster thoughtful dialogue and deliberate actions. What are the values and habits that inform civil discourse? How do we think about our own roles as responsible and engaged members of a good society? This series of Great Conversations will consider the theory and practice of civil discourse, exploring its shape from the American Founding to the present day, using the Aspen Institute’s classic method of text-based dialogue.
Specific topics will include Toleration and Civility; the Foundations of Civil Society; Creativity and Change; Technology and Community; the Arts and Democratic Culture and Religion and National Identity.
This series will be limited to participants 25-45 years of age, and will foster lively discussions on timely topics using classic readings to gain historical perspective on issues we are facing today.
Event registration is open at: https://aspeninstitute.wufoo.com/forms/aspen-community-programs-registration/. For more information on the Aspen Institute Great Conversation Series and other events open to the public, please contact Beth Slater at 970-544-7914 or beth.slater@aspeninstitute.org, or visit the Institute’s website at www.aspeninstitute.org/aspenevents.
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