Ben Talks New York City: The Past and Future of Democracy

The 2025 presidential transition continues to generate strong reactions across a diverse spectrum of American voters, along with heightened scrutiny of the vulnerabilities and strengths of U.S. democracy.

Join Peter Struck, Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College, and a panel of faculty experts at The Times Center for a wide-ranging and nuanced discussion of what makes for a democracy, whether democracies today—nationally and internationally—are imperiled, and what can be done to strengthen democracy. 

A dinner reception and warm conversation with fellow alums open the evening, followed by our faculty discussion and dessert post-reception. 

Featured Panelists

Donovan Schaefer, Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Michele Margolis, Associate Professor of Political Science
Jeffrey Green, Professor of Political Science and Andrea Mitchell Endowed Director of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy

Moderated By

Sophia Rosenfeld, Walter H. Annenberg Professor and Chair of History