Good Talks 2024
While most Americans report that politics feels divisive and exhaustive, it is possible to structure curious and rewarding conversations about politics. The Good Talks event series, organized around the 2024 election, brings together community members, experts, and resources (see topics and resources below). Each discussion starts with a short overview of the topic from an expert, followed by structured small group conversations led by a facilitator.
Building on high engagement after the November election, we are hosting a post-inauguration Good Talks at the College on January 23, 2025, at 7-8:30 pm. Bert Johnson and sujatha baliga will offer opening remarks, followed by structured small group discussions. Sarah Stroup will facilitate, and refreshments will be served! RSVP here
Past Events (Fall 2024)
Hillcrest 103
Public support for democracy in the United States has declined generationally. Meanwhile, both candidates in the 2024 election are claiming that the future of American democracy is at stake. In our first fall event, we will explore the factors that shape trust in democracy and political participation. Professor Bert Johnson (Political Science) will provide an introductory overview.
Download the discussion guide.
(see Clifford Symposium)
The scarcity and cost of housing is a national election issue. In this event, we are partnering with the Clifford Symposium, whose 2024 theme is Home: Housing and Belonging in Middlebury and Beyond. On Friday, September 20 (note different location and date), we will help facilitate small-group dinner conversations about home and housing. Read more about the Clifford Symposium.
Hillcrest 103
The US abortion debate is often framed as a binary choice, but according to a 2022 Pew Research Center poll, relatively few Americans take absolutist positions. Professor Caitlin Myers will offer a brief overview of abortion access and reproductive policy. See a recording of her longer talk from April 2024.
Download the discussion guide.
Listen to this talk.
Hillcrest 103
On average, the environment ranks relatively low as an issue of concern in public opinion polling, but there are generational and partisan divides on this question. When it comes to specific policy responses, however, there are possibilities for agreement on questions like renewables and the role of the private and public sectors. Professor Chris Klyza offers an overview of the election-related concerns in this short talk here!
Download the discussion guide here.
Hillcrest 103
From current wars in Ukraine and Gaza to tensions with China, the next president will face substantial foreign policy challenges. While we have some information about the candidates’ preferences, there is a mixed record on whether presidents hold to their campaign promises. On October 8, we will explore foreign policy as an election issue with Melissa Willard-Foster (UVM).
Watch the talk here.
103 Hillcrest
The affordability of health care, drug prices, and the Affordable Care Act are all key concerns in the presidential election, and yet the federal government is one of many players in the complex health care system in the United States. Professor Jessica Holmes (Health Economics and Public Policy) will highlight some of the key issues.
Download the discussion guide here.
Hillcrest 103
Immigration has been a hotly contested issue for over a decade, and public opinion can vary based on how the issue is framed. Nevertheless, there is broad agreement that currently policies are failing—80% of respondents in an January 2024 poll said that the government is doing a very or somewhat bad job of dealing with the large number of migrants seeking to enter the U.S What are the deeper issues to consider about immigration policy? Professor Phani Wunnava (Economics) will start off the discussion.
Download the discussion guide here.
Watch the talk!
Town Hall Theater, 68 Pleasant St., Middlebury
A week after the 2024 general election, we invite you to an inter-generational community conversation. We will begin with a short panel featuring Daniza Tazabekova ’26, State Senator Ruth Hardy, and Professor Bert Johnson. Participants will then join structured small groups to discuss the election results and invite reflection on our hopes and next steps. Refreshments and snacks provided.
Past Events (Spring 2024)
Town Meeting Day in Vermont is an annual democratic practice. Political Science Professor Bert Johnson offers a brief history and explains how questions about democratic quality and quantity are informing models of participation in 2024. Watch a video of the 20-minute talk, recorded on February 29, 2024.
Download the discussion guide.
How can we deal with misinformation in an era of political polarization? Journalist Adam Davidson offers a brief overview of the professional and personal challenges. Watch a video of his 20 minute talk from March 29, 2024.
Download the discussion guide.
Conflicts can be navigated constructively through active listening, questions of curiosity, and mindfulness. At the 2024 Student Spring Symposium, student leaders from Oratory in Action and the CT Collaborative led an interactive session on constructive dialogue skills. Please email us for the discussion guide.
These talks are also posted on our events page and the college calendar. If you cannot make the in-person event, we will post the recordings and guides here as resources to for designing your own discussion. This series is a collaboration with groups on and off campus. Special thanks to Shane Silverman, the Center for Community Engagement, Civics in Action, Kristie Skor, and Bert Johnson. For more resources that follow a similar model, check out Living Room Conversations.