Colorado State University’s Year of Democracy and Civic Engagement is kicking off its Thematic Year centered on democracy and civic engagement, with two special events Thursday, Sept. 14.
As an early celebration of International Day of Democracy, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. the College of Liberal Arts and the Thematic Year will host an ice cream social on the Lory Student Center Plaza. Attendees can grab a cool treat and engage in conversations and activities designed by the Center for Public Deliberation centered around democracy now and in the future, and how they can participate.
Also, from 1-2 p.m. at the Warner College of Natural Resources, room 345 (Horsetooth Room), faculty will examine democracy today and the challenges it faces tomorrow as part of the Democracy Around the World panel discussion.
Democracy across the disciplines
The Thematic Year is a central university initiative that serves to highlight the incredible research, programs, academic initiatives, students, faculty and staff who are accomplishing extraordinary things at CSU.
Having a rotating annual theme provides the opportunity for the University to focus on major world initiatives that cross through and between all departments and colleges which, in turn, assists in stimulating additional multidisciplinary work at CSU.
Following up last year’s theme of health, the 2023-2024 Thematic Year will focus on not only on the institutions and structures around democracy and civic engagement, but also the values, principles and processes they encompass.
Discussing democracy
Topics to be discussed at the panel include what democracy looks like in other countries, what challenges democracy faces, and what can we in the U.S. learn from other countries’ experiences with democracy.
“There is a commonplace perception that democracy is under threat worldwide, including in the United States,” said Peter Harris, an associate professor in CSU’s Department of Political Science. “Is this true? And either way, what can be done to strengthen democracy at home and abroad?”
Harris will serve as moderator for the panel, which will feature faculty speakers from the political science, sociology and Spanish departments, including Marcela Velasco, Julia Choolwe Munsaka, KuoRay Mao, Daniel Weitzel and Antonio Pedros-Gascon.
“The purpose of this panel is to ask CSU experts to take the temperature of democracy in the 21st century and provide ideas for how democratic principles can be made safe for future generations,” Harris said.
Additional Year of Democracy events
Throughout the 2023-24 school year, CSU will host a variety of events focused on democracy and civic engagement ranging from lectures to art exhibitions.
