The Future of Democracy

Robert Doar's latest piece for the National Review on civil rights and the fight to reduce poverty.

Learn more about the steps Microsoft is taking to preserve and protect journalism and local newsrooms.

How are government policies affecting American farms and rural communities and what can we do to support them? We talk with Sarah Frey, author of “The Growing Season: How I Built a New Life--and Saved an American Farm” throughout this special series episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” about American farms and how they're affected by today's policies. Sarah shares her personal experience of how she transformed her childhood farm of 80 acres into Frey Farms, an expansive business that spans across the United States, and works hard to bring opportunities to those in rural areas. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

How can Black Americans ensure their safety traveling through places in America that still have sundown towns? How has this issue evolved since the age of Jim Crow? On this special series episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we talked with Candacy Taylor, author of “Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America.” She shares her historical expertise on the Green Book and how it applies to modern day life and leisure for Black Americans. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

How does racism and inequality impact the American economy? Does the presence of discrimination negatively influence the economic output of a country? On this special series episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we sit with Eduardo Porter, author of “American Poison: How Racial Hostility Destroyed Our Promise.” He dives deep into how exactly America's economic system is influenced by racial tensions and inequality and why citizens should be concerned. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

In times of extreme political unrest, it is important to understand exactly what is happening presently in Washington D.C and what has gone on in the past. On this special series episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we talk with journalism power couple and co-authors of “The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III,” Susan Glasser and Peter Baker. They'll share their expertise about the legacy of James A. Baker III and his time as former White House Chief of Staff. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

How did creativity and artistry influence the Black American cultural landscape in the mid to late 1900s? How has that artistic demand changed over the course of the years? On this special series episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we sit with the author of “Love Child's Hotbed of Occasional Poetry: Poems and Artifacts,” Nikky Finney. She'll share her insights on how she used love and positivity to grow up through the hardships faced by Black Americans and how her artistry has led to her view of the world. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

How did the 19th Amendment fundamentally change the trajectory of politics to this day? On this special episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment's 100th anniversary by speaking with Doris Weatherford, an acclaimed historian, about her newest book, “Victory for the Vote: The Fight for Women's Suffrage and the Century that Followed.” She'll give us a history lesson on how the 19th Amendment gave some, but not all women the right to vote and the effect that has had in politics and society since. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

In an increasingly divided political landscape, where is the voice from the middle? On this special episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” we're talking with P.J. O'Rourke, a journalist and New York Times bestselling author. His newest book, “A Cry from the Far Middle: Dispatches from a Divided Land,” features his observations about the growing fissure in US politics in a darkly humorous way. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

How can poetry and art speak to the reality of race and racial injustice in the US? What is the role of the artist in the battle for our democracy? In this special episode of “The Future of Democracy x Miami Book Fair,” host Sam Gill talks with celebrated poet John Murillo about his newest book, “Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry” (forthcoming from Four Way Books 2020), and the ways it reflects on the legacy of racism against Black and Latino people in America. The 37th annual Miami Book Fair takes place this year from November 15-22. To learn more, visit miamibookfaironline.com.

Just days ahead of a major national election, we sit down with Kristen Clarke. President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to discuss the many issues putting stress on America's voting infrastructure. What are the most pressing issues? Is America prepared? Who is at risk of losing their right to vote? What's the long term agenda for securing voting rights for all eligible Americans?

To hear more from Zeynep and hear more on her studies, follow her on twitter @zeynep#knightliveZeynep wrote the book, “Twitter and Tear Gas: The Ecstatic, Fragile Politics of Networked Protest in the 21st Century.”Read Zeynep's work with The Atlantic You can follow Zeynep's work on Twitter at @uncchapelhill, @theatlantic, and @nytimes #knightlive

This summer, hundreds of advertisers, nonprofits and individuals began boycotting Facebook advertising as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. On Episode 24 of “The Future of Democracy,” we'll talk to Rashad Robinson, the architect behind the ad moratorium. He'll share insights about the campaign and talk about his experience as president of Color of Change, a national organization that builds campaigns advocating for justice for America's Black community.

As the nation continues to grapple with the pandemic, we've also had to manage a rising “infodemic,” an overabundance of misinformation about COVID-19. Recent Gallup/Knight research shows that a majority of Americans cite social media as a large reason for the infodemic. How are platforms handling and addressing this issue? On Episode 23 of “The Future of Democracy,” we'll talk with Nick Pickles, global head of policy strategy and development at Twitter, about social media, the infodemic, and how to ensure Americans are armed with accurate information.

How is the pandemic changing our nation's social structures? Does access to technology change who can succeed now and in the future? On Episode 22 of “The Future of Democracy,” we'll talk with Alondra Nelson, president of the Social Science Research Council, a nonprofit, interdisciplinary research network. She'll share her expertise as a leading thinker on tech's intersection with equity.

Cathy J. Cohen is the David and Mary Winton Green Distinguished Service Professor at The University of Chicago. She formerly served as chair of the Department of Political Science, Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture and Deputy Provost for Graduate Education at The University of Chicago.Cohen is the author of two books, The Boundaries of Blackness: AIDS and the Breakdown of Black Politics (University of Chicago Press) and Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics (Oxford University Press). She is also co-editor of the anthology Women Transforming Politics: An Alternative Reader (NYU Press) with Kathleen Jones and Joan Tronto. Her articles have been published in numerous journals and edited volumes. Cohen is also co-editor with Frederick Harris of a book series at Oxford University Press.She is the recipient of numerous awards, including being elected to the American Academy of Arts and Science and being named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow in 2020. She is also the founder and director of the GenForward Survey Project and the Black Youth Project.Resources: Data Survey

This fall, as the nation continues to take on the coronavirus, several critical things are at stake — including the fate of voting rights for Americans. On Episode 20 of “The Future of Democracy,” we'll talk with Nicole Austin-Hillery, executive director of the Human Rights Watch U.S. program. She'll share a historical look at voter suppression, voting rights, and understanding the top issues facing our country as we head to the polls.

With the click of a button, almost anyone in the world can post their thoughts, opinions or commentary online. How can we understand speech online and the policies that surround it? On Episode 19 of The Future of Democracy, we'll hear from Olivier Sylvain, a professor of law at Fordham University. Sylvain will share his expertise as a leading thinker on the interplay of information, technology and the law.

Read - What Big Tech Can Learn from theComic Book Industry

As our nation reckons with race, what can we learn from history? How will America's past influence the future of civil rights in the country? On Episode 17 of The Future of Democracy, we'll speak to Wade Henderson, former president of the Leadership Conference on Human and Civil Rights. We'll discuss using lessons from history as we look to the future.

Yuval Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. He is the editor of National Affairs, a senior editor of The New Atlantis, and a contributing editor to National Review. He was a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush, and was a congressional staffer at the member, committee, and leadership levels. His essays and articles have been published in numerous publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Commentary and many others. He is the author of several books on political theory and public policy, most recently A Time to Build. From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream. He holds a PhD from the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago.

The news media plays a critical role in ensuring communities are equipped with the information they need to stay safe, healthy and engaged. How have national journalists been covering the pandemic, rising social movements and growing rates of misinformation? What's on the horizon for the industry? On Episode 15 of The Future of Democracy, we'll talk with Lulu Garcia-Navarro, host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday and Up First podcast. Together, we'll explore the future of news and radio.

This month, hundreds of advertisers, nonprofit organizations and individuals began boycotting Facebook advertising as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. On Episode 14 of The Future of Democracy, formerly called VISION, we'll talk with Jessica J. González, organizer of the boycott campaign and co-chief executive officer of Free Press and Free Press Action Fund, two independent organizations that work to give people a voice in media decisions.

How has free speech changed in the past 50 years? What do the First Amendment's protections look like in the modern era? On this weeks episode, we're talking with Eugene Volokh, a prominent First Amendment law professor at UCLA. Eugene Volokh teaches First Amendment law and a First Amendment amicus brief clinic at UCLA School of Law, where he has also taught copyright law, criminal law, tort law, and a seminar on firearms regulation policy.Before coming to UCLA, he clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Alex Kozinski on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Volokh is the author of the textbooks The First Amendment and Related Statutes (7th ed. 2020), and Academic Legal Writing (5th ed. 2013), as well as over 90 law review articles. He is a member of The American Law Institute, a member of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel, and the founder and co-author of The Volokh Conspiracy, a leading legal blog. His law review articles have been cited by opinions in eight Supreme Court cases and hundreds of other court opinions, as well as several thousand scholarly articles. Volokh worked for 12 years as a computer programmer.

What does freedom of speech look like in the digital age? We had an in-depth conversation with Nabiha Syed, president of The Markup, a nonprofit data-driven publication. Before joining The Markup, Nabiha Syed was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at BuzzFeed and the company's first newsroom lawyer. Under her leadership, the company successfully defended against libel litigation arising out of the publication of the Steele dossier and initiated numerous notable access litigations. Prior to BuzzFeed, Syed co-founded the nation's first media access law clinic, currently in its 10th year of operation at Yale Law School, and served as a First Amendment Fellow at The New York Times. Nabiha has been described as “one of the best emerging free speech lawyers” by Forbes magazine, and a “real reporter's lawyer” by the Reporter's Committee for the Freedom of the Press, which recognized her with an inaugural award in 2018. She is a non-resident fellow of both Stanford Law School and Yale Law School. Perhaps most importantly, she isa lifelong Girl Scout.

Can content on the internet harm people? How do you apply the First Amendment to online content? How can we ensure online platforms serve their purpose while keeping people safe? On this episode of The Future of Democracy, we'll hear from Dr. Mary Anne Franks, a University of Miami law professor and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. She'll share her insights as one of the leading thinkers on the harmful effects of online speech.

What do today's college students think about free expression on campus, and how do they understand the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment? How has COVID-19 changed the way college students speak out? We're talking with Dr. Wayne Frederick, president of Howard University, and Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America. They'll share insights on how students are engaging in our democracy in this unusual time.

This episode of The Future of Democracy takes a deep-dive on issues of speech and expression in a time of turbulence and change, with guest Geoffrey Stone, a University of Chicago law professor and leading thinker on free speech in times of crisis. Mr. Stone is an Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service professor at the University of Chicago. After serving as a law clerk to Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States, Mr. Stone joined the faculty of the University of Chicago Law School in 1973 and served as dean of the University of Chicago Law School (1987-1994) and Provost of the University of Chicago (1994-2002). Mr. Stone is the author or co-author of many books on constitutional law, including, among others, Democracy and Equality: The Enduring Constitutional Vision of the Warren Court (2020); The Free Speech Century (2019); Sex and the Constitution (2017); Top Secret: When Government Keeps Us In the Dark (2007); and Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime (2004).

How can we ensure our communities are inclusive, just, equitable and participatory? How are COVID and the moment of reckoning on race straining our democracy? What are the new demands of citizenship? On this episode of The Future of Democracy, we're talking with two members of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship: Antonia Hernández, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation, and Stephen B. Heintz, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. They'll share their insights on building equitable communities that work in service of their residents.

COVID-19 has surfaced important issues around the fall national elections. This week on The Future of Democracy, we're continuing our deep-dive into election process for the third part of our "Election Disrupted" series. As former commissioners of the Federal Election Commission, Trevor Potter and Ann Ravel provide their insight on elections in the U.S.

Joint Center online briefing on creating safe, accessible voting for black communitiesNALEO primer on how the U.S. Census works — and why it's importantWashington Post op-ed by Spencer Overton on COVID-19's racial impact

Nate's website, which shows all his new events and work“Nate Persily Asks Whether Democracy Can Survive the Internet,” a Lawfare Podcast episodeA New York Times op-ed on voting by Nate, Bob Bauer, Ben Ginsberg, members of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration

Follow Renée on Twitter.Find news and events on Renée's website.The Lawfare Podcast: Renée DiResta on Disinformation and Misinformation from Vaccines to the GRU.

Check out Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble's Twitter account.Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, by Safiya Noble.Safiya is hosting a new study group about her book on her Instagram page.

Meme War Weekly, a newsletter about political communication.The BIG, If Truewebinar series, hosted by Joan.A special edition podcast of BIG, If True about combating misinformation. Listen here.Read Joan's take on voter suppression and the coronavirus and the geopolitics of COVID-19.Read her views on why research must demand that social media companies flatten the curve of misinformation and how social media can combat the coronavirus ‘infodemic'.

“Flattening the Infodemic Curve,” features a conversation with Jevin West, associate professor in the Information School at the University of Washington and director of the Center for an Informed Public, regarding misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knight's Sam Gill has special conversation with Vanita Gupta, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Together, they'll discuss George Floyd's unjust killing, why this is a moment of reckoning for our country, and how we must begin to move forward as a nation.