Is liberalism doomed? Was 1619 or 1776 the true founding of America? Is the traditional university broken beyond repair? Is racism or anti-racism the greater threat to the health of the university?

On March 21-22 of this year, on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, we plan to have it out. Passionately. Brilliantly. Humorously. Humanely. Respectfully. Vigorously.

Civil Discord is a unique collaboration between three academic entities in Austin that share a commitment to free speech, civil discourse, and the urgent necessity of connecting across scholarly, political, partisan, and ideological lines. Through a serious of moderated arguments on issues of great public significance, featuring some our nation’s best scholars and writers, we will model what it looks for the university to serve as its own experiment in democratic practice. This event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.