The Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy

A discussion with BENJAMIN SOVACOOL (Boston University), moderated by SANYA CARLEY (Penn Kleinman Center for Energy Policy).Hybrid Event: In-person and online. Zoom link sent to registered attendees.CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY, like that from dirty sources, requires significant technological infrastructure, with potentially deep impacts on the wellbeing of surrounding communities and ecosystems. In this conversation, leading energy justice thinker BENJAMIN SOVACOOL (Boston University) grapples with the economics, politics, and environmental tradeoffs of energy production. He considers how and why any energy transition must account for social and multispecies justice. How can we conceptualize energy justice? What does it look like on

A panel discussion with MAX BERGMANN (Center for Strategic and International Studies), moderated by MITCHELL ORENSTEIN (Penn).Hybrid Event: In-person and online. Zoom link sent to registered attendees.THE PRODUCTION OF FOSSIL FUELS is deeply intertwined not only with the economic interests of large global corporations, but also with the political regimes of powerful autocrats. In this conversation, security expert MAX BERGMANN (Center for Strategic and International Studies) focuses on the case of Vladimir Putin and his attempts to wield fossil fuels as a strategic weapon to undermine opposition to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. As Europe actively seeks to

Engage with a leading expert on climate change communications and its role in cultivating public and political will for climate solutions.On January 18, we invite you to an event featuring distinguished University Professor Edward Maibach, Director of the Center for ClimateChange Communication at George Mason University—a university-based “think-and-do tank.” Professor Maibach will illuminate some key insights into public understanding of climate communication that have emerged from the Yale/George Mason “Climate Change in the American Mind” surveys conducted twice yearly since 2008. He will also discuss his center’s initiatives to activate and support trusted climatecommunicators in communities across America including TV

Gunn-Wright and Schaible will discuss American and German variants of green new deal policies and politics.Join us for this event featuring Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Director of Climate Policy at the Roosevelt Institute, and Jonas Schaible, Reporter and Editor at Der Spiegel. Daniel Aldana Cohen, Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of California, Berkeley, will moderate. Gunn-Wright and Schaible will discuss American and German variants of green new deal policies and politics, paying close attention to success stories as well as political and technological roadblocks. Together, their analysis brings the broad transnational public support for green spending into focus, and they will

The consequences of climate change extend far beyond the ecological realm, profoundly impacting politics.Note: This will be a hybrid event. Those who register will also receive the Zoom link.Join us on March 21st as we host Professor Geoff Mann from Simon Fraser University as part of our Climate Change & Democracy Series. Professor Mann will explore his timely research on the political economy and broader politics surrounding climate change. Drawing from his co-authored work Climate Leviathan: A Political Theory of Our Planetary Future (Verso, 2018), Mann will delve into the challenges posed by global climate change to our contemporary order.

Necromancy and the Democratic Storytelling of W.E.B. Du Bois and Toni MorrisonShatema Threadcraft is an Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies, Philosophy and Political Science at Vanderbilt University and a 2023-24 Laurance S. Rockefeller Faculty Fellow at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University. She is the author of Intimate Justice: The Black Female Body and the Body Politic (Oxford University Press, 2016), winner of the National Women’s Studies Association’s 2017 Sara A. Whaley Award for the best book on women and labor, the 2017 W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political

Join the Andrea Mitchell Center for its first Graduate Student Workshop of the 2024-2025 academic year.Join the Andrea Mitchell Center for its first Graduate Student Workshop of the 2024-2025 academic year, featuring Celia Eckert (Harvard School of Government) and Kalahan Brown (Penn Annenberg).Celia Eckert: "Shifting Grounds: Protest Occupations as Worldmaking"Kalahan Brown: "Watermelon Fights: Narrative Wars in the US over the Palestine Conflict"Papers will be sent directly to those who register. Hybrid event, Zoom link will be sent out after registration.Celia Eckert is a Ph.D. candidate in Harvard’s Department of Government studying political theory and contemporary American politics. Her research examines

Andrea Mitchell Center graduate student workshop, featuring Ezekiel Vergara and Maryam Nahhal.The Andrea Mitchell Center invites you to its second graduate student workshop of 2024-25, featuring Maryam Nahhal of Johns Hopkins University and Ezekiel Vergara from the University of Pennsylvania.This is a hybrid event -- the Zoom links will be sent to all participants.Papers will also be sent to all registered guests.Maryam Nahhal is a fourth year PhD candidate in Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She completed my BA in International Relations at Queen Mary, University of London, and my MLitt in International Security Studies at the University of

This grad workshop brings together scholars examining the complex relationship between media, digital platforms, and political expression.Join us for another graduate student workshop, Paradoxical Media: Freedom of Speech and Electoral Politics. This workshop brings together scholars examining the complex relationship between media, digital platforms, and political expression. It delves into how modern media technologies affect freedom of expression, public discourse, and electoral processes. The presentations provide critical insights into the paradoxes of media-driven democratization, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence, which both expand and limit the public's engagement with democratic ideals.**Papers will be sent immediately after registration.Presenter Bios:B. Tyler

Join us for another Andrea Mitchell Center graduate student workshop, featuring Abram J. Lyons and Stuti Shah.Presenter Bios:Abram J. Lyons is a PhD Social Welfare candidate in the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the impact of community-based anti-poverty interventions on child maltreatment and child welfare permanency outcomes for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) families. He is particularly interested in how these interventions can mitigate the long-lasting effects of colonization and systemic racism on Indigenous families. Mr. Lyons holds a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Idaho.

Join us for a conversation with journalist and blogger Matthew Yglesias, a longtime commentator on American politics and economics.Join us for a conversation with journalist and blogger Matthew Yglesias, a longtime commentator on American politics and economics. Previously at The Atlantic and Vox, which he co-founded, Matthew Yglesias writes the Slow Boring newsletter and is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He has been recognized as a major voice on the center-left pushing for housing reform and issues-focused politics. Drawing from his extensive experience, Yglesias will provide insights into the challenges facing contemporary governance, policy debates, and the future of political discourse

From greenwashing to referendums, this workshop explores how institutions shape societal change and minority rights.Institutional Choices & Societal ConsequencesThis workshop brings together two emerging scholars whose work critically examines how institutions shape — and often constrain — social and political life.This will be a hybrid event. Register to receive Zoom link, or attend in-person.Julia Cope (Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania) explores how the American advertising industry confronts climate change. Her study of AdAge and Adweek reveals the fragile compromises advertising professionals craft between profit-driven market logics and civic or environmental responsibility. By unpacking these discourses, Cope shows how

Exploring nonprofit institutions, faith-based organizations, and philanthropic foundations and their connection to public welfare.What role do civil society organizations play in shaping well-being? Join us as we explore how nonprofit institutions, faith-based organizations, and philanthropic foundations contribute to — and sometimes complicate — efforts to improve public welfare. Drawing from real-world examples, our panel will consider how resource distribution, civic engagement, and policy implementation intersect in pursuit of collective well-being.Speakers: Femida Handy, Ram Cnaan, Katherina Rosqueta. Moderated by Carleigh Douglas

Historical Perspectives and Current Trends in IndiaOver the last few years, India has witnessed a resurgence of linguistic tensions nationally. Regional parties more frequently refer to linguistic identities to resist the centralization of political power and respond to India's delimitation plans. Language politics is now re-emerging on the national stage in ways that are both familiar and unfamiliar. This workshop examines language politics in contemporary India and our understanding of its postcolonial history.Speakers: Akhil P. Veetil, Deepika Padmanabhan, Gregory Goulding, Ketaki Jaywant, Lisa Mitchell, Maya Tudor, Pritipuspa Mishra, Rama Mantena, Sumathi RamaswamySeptember 19, 2025: 1:00pm to 4:00pmSeptember 20, 2025: 10:00am

A conversation with Edith Chapin, the former Editor-in-Chief and Chief Content Officer of NPR.Join PPR and the Andrea Mitchell Center for a Fireside Chat and Q&A with Edith Chapin, Former Editor-in-Chief of NPR. The event will feature a half-hour moderated conversation between Chapin and Dr. Jeffrey Green, Professor and Andrea Mitchell Endowed Director of the Andrea Mitchell Center, followed by an extensive audience Q&A. Discussion topics will include Chapin’s firsthand perspective on America’s evolving media landscape, the role of public and nonpartisan journalism, reflections on her career path, and advice for the next generation of changemakers. Food will be provided.Bio:Edith

This month's graduate student workshop examines how political upheavals reshape the rights and recognition of minorities.This session examines how political upheavals reshape the rights and recognition of minorities. By tracing how states, international organizations, and revolutionary leaders redefine who counts as a protected subject, the two papers show how marginalized groups invoke and contest legal categories to secure mobility, political voice, and substantive equality.Paper Abstracts:Jewish Refugees in the Age of the Jewish Nation: Soviet Jews as "Cold War Refugees" or "Israeli Repatriates" 1971-1991Alexandra (Sasha) ZborovskyIn 1951 members of the United Nations gathered to draft the modern definition of “refugee.” There

Exploring how identity-based disparities are embedded in social policy, housing, education, and healthcare.How do race, gender, sexuality, and other aspects of identity influence well-being? This conversation centers on how identity-based disparities are embedded in social policy, housing, education, and healthcare systems. Our speakers will explore how intersectional approaches to well-being can illuminate paths toward greater justice and inclusion.Speakers: DeMarcus Jenkins & Amy Hillier. Moderated by Ayana Colvin.Speaker Biographies:Amy Hillier, PhD, MSW, is a social worker and an Associate Professor in the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2). Her most recent research focuses on transgender youth and their families. With

Join Mockler for a conversation about the state of democracy today and the role of the rising social media space in shaping our politics.In these uncertain times of Trump’s second presidency, Gen-Z political commentator Adam Mockler has built a growing platform on social media from his direct and straightforward commentary, viral moments, and debates with everyone from political pundits to ordinary American citizens. His YouTube channel has over 1.5 million subscribers. Join him for a conversation about the state of American democracy today, and the role of the rising social media space in shaping our political future.Event begins at 6:30pm.

Exploring the geography of well-being.Where we live matters.Join us for the next session in the Politics of Well-Being series, exploring the geography of well-being: how neighborhood infrastructure, environmental justice, urban design, and housing access shape physical and mental health. This conversation will examine how place-based policies can foster or undermine equitable outcomes — and how communities reclaim agency over space.Featured Speakers:🔹 Millan AbiNader, MSW, PhD – Assistant Professor, SP2🔹 Alice Xu, PhD – Assistant Professor, SP2🔹 Moderator: Rebecca Del Rossi, MSW---Speaker Biographies:Dr. Millan AbiNader is a mixed-methods researcher who seeks to understand the social ecology of gender-based violence, with particular

Join us to learn about the ways Apartheid's enduring legacy continues to shape South Africa and the pursuit of justice today.Join us at Public Trust for Legacy: Apartheid's Shadow, a film screening and conversation about the ways Apartheid's enduring legacy continues to shape South Africa and the pursuit of justice today. Following the screening, director Tara Erica Moore will engage in conversation with with Andrea Mitchell Center Director Jeffrey Green. About the film:Thirty years after the fall of apartheid, South Africa remains a divided nation and one of the most unequal countries in the world. Legacy is a landmark documentary film that reveals