"Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age" with Alexander Heffner
Event description
- Free
- Open to the public
PBS and Bloomberg TV host Alexander Heffner considers the state of civil discourse and democracy in America today. Heffner will discuss the effects of divisiveness on society and the influence of new media, misinformation, and filter bubbles. What are possible prescriptions to correct this cycle? How can our social footprints translate into constructive instead of destructive behavior? How can citizens, government, and the press restore faith in civic life and the integrity of public policy? How can intellectual honesty counter hyper partisanship and cultivate consensus?
About the speaker
Alexander Heffner is host of The Open Mind on PBS, creator of Breaking Bread with Alexander on Bloomberg TV, and coauthor of bestselling A Documentary History of the United States (Penguin Random House, 2022). He has covered American culture, politics, and civic life since the 2008 presidential campaign. Most recently, Heffner served as the University of North Dakota's inaugural Journalist in Residence.
This event is made possible through a partnership between the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies and the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication.
