Deliberative Citizenship Initiative

Building Democracy One Conversation at a Time

Announcements

Deliberating GOATs

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Davidson students, want to discuss the Greatest Of All Time athletes, actors, and movies, but fear the conversation will deteriorate into chaos and conflict? Enjoy chatting about the best places to eat, study, and hangout on campus, but haven’t had the chance to do so recently? 

Then look no further than the second annual Deliberating GOATS 900 Room @ Nine event! It is hosted by the student fellows of the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI) who will be facilitating respectful and engaging discussions about your favorite GOAT categories. 

It will be like a mashup of trivia night, late-night discussions with friends over random topics, and DCI forums and small group discussions. This is a fun, low-key opportunity to find common ground with your classmates and decide who and what truly are the GOATs. You can enjoy your discussions over Ice Cream Sundaes and popcorn, and the 900 Room Bar will also be open to serve ages 21+. And there is an added bonus: prizes – Stanley tumblers and beer steins – will also be given away! 

We hope to see you at the 900 Room on March 12 from 9-10 pm (the Tuesday after Spring Break). Everyone is welcome but seats are limited so come on time to join the fun. Make sure to bring all your skills of deliberation and ideas about GOATs!

Going Deeper in the Classroom: The Spring 2024 Deliberative Pedagogy (DeeP) Faculty Panel and Lunch

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A chemist, political scientist, physicist, and religion scholar are all serving on an upcoming panel. What do they have in common? Experience embedding deliberation about difficult and contentious topics into their classrooms!

On March 15 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, Professors Bassil El-Zaatari (Chemistry, Davidson), Emily Sydnor (Political Science, Southwestern), Anthony Kuchera (Physics, Davidson), and Rachel Pang (Religious Studies, Davidson) will be sharing their work as members of the Deliberative Pedagogy (DeeP) Collaborative.

Over 40 faculty members from 18 different institutions have participated in the Collaborative, which enables professors from across the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to work together on developing and implementing innovative ways to stimulate deeper discussions in their courses. 

Are you a faculty member who is curious about how you might do something similar in your classroom? Or perhaps you already do, and are interested in picking up some new ideas? Then come join our Spring 2024 Deliberative Pedagogy (DeeP) Faculty Panel and Lunch, co-hosted by theDeliberative Citizenship Initiative, E.H. Little Library, and the Center for Teaching and Learning. You can join either in-person or virtually. Lunch will be provided for all in-person participants, but seats are limited so sign up here today!

To learn more about the Deliberative Pedagogy Collaborative, the DCI’s Deliberation Across the Curriculum Program, and the upcoming panel, check out the attached flyer, this webpage, and these blog posts by faculty members who have participated in the Collaborative over the past two years.

We hope you can join us!

“Across the Straits:” A Commons Conversation with Shelley Rigger

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This Friday, the DCI is kicking off our Spring 2024 Commons Conversations program with special guest, Professor Shelley Rigger! Davidson students, join us this Friday, February 23rd at 11:15 AM in the Annex at Vail Commons for a conversation about U.S., China, and Taiwan relations. The topic of discussion will be: Across the Straits: Should the U.S. Defend Taiwan if China Invades? Space is limited, so register on WildcatSync today!

Commons Conversations is a series of deliberative chats over lunch at Vail Commons and is open to all Davidson students. We have invited five faculty and staff members to host these conversations on topics relevant to their academic or professional expertise. At each session, these conversation hosts will briefly introduce the topic of conversation and share a few of their own insights on it. Students joining the lunch will then have an opportunity to discuss the topic with one another and the host in a conversation guided by our DCI Fellows, who are trained deliberation facilitators.

We hope to see you there!

DCI Spring Program Announcement: Commons Conversations

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This spring, the DCI is partnering with Davidson faculty and staff to kick off a new iteration of our Commons Conversations program! Commons Conversations is a series of deliberative chats over lunch at Vail Commons and is open to all Davidson students. We have invited five faculty and staff members to host these conversations on topics relevant to their academic or professional expertise. At each session, these conversation hosts will briefly introduce the topic of conversation and share a few of their own insights on it. Students joining the lunch will then have an opportunity to discuss the topic with one another and the host in a conversation guided by our DCI Fellows, who are trained deliberation facilitators.

All Commons Conversations events will take place in the Vail Commons Annex. Meal swipes will be provided to all participants who are not on a full meal plan.

Below is our list of faculty and staff hosts that we have scheduled for this spring. A week or two before each Commons Conversation, we will share more information about the topic of conversation and how to register to attend (seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis).

We hope you’ll decide to join us for this series focused on the Davidson student community!

Friday, February 23, 11:15 am to 12:15 pm

Shelley Rigger, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Brown Professor of Asian Politics

Friday, March 22, 11:15 am to 12:15 pm

Patricio Boyer, E. Craig Wall, Jr., Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Humanities Program | Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies

Thursday, April 4, 12:15 am to 1:15 pm

Byron McCrae, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

Thursday, April 18, 11:10 am to 12:10 pm

Shyam Gouri-Suresh, James W. Cannon Professor of Economics and Rizwan Zamir, Associate Professor of Religious Studies

Thursday, April 25, 11:10 am to 12:10 pm

Chris Clunie, Vice President & Director of Athletics

A Deliberative Forum on Artificial Intelligence

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Are you curious about artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is reshaping our world? Our Deliberative Forum on AI is designed for all of us to deliberate about the important questions posed by the recent breakthroughs in this technology. Whether you’re a computer science expert, a die-hard humanities lover, a doomsayer, a techno-optimist, or just want to learn more about what AI is and how we should live with it going forward, we invite you to join us on Monday, February 5th from 5-7 PM in the Lilly Gallery in person (or via Zoom)!

Who is hosting the Deliberative Forum?

The Deliberative Citizenship Initiative is excited to be co-hosting this event with Davidson’s Office of Technology and Innovation, Computer Science Department, Digital Studies Department and the Bonner Scholars Program.

What can you expect at the Deliberative Forum?

We will have a panel discussion for the first hour of the forum, in which three panelists will discuss what they take to be the most promising and the most concerning aspects of AI today and in the future. Following the panel discussion, participants will have small group discussions that will be facilitated by our DCI Fellows.

Who will be there?

  • Damien Williams is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Data Science at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. He studies philosophy, comparative religion, magic, artificial intelligence, human physical and mental augmentation, pop culture, and how they all relate. He teaches courses including Modeling and Society, Data and Society and Disability, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, and much of his research focuses on the relationship between AI and bias as well as AI and consciousness. He has published articles on artificial intelligence in Wired, American Scientist, and the Journal of Responsible Innovation, among other outlets. Dr. Williams earned his PhD in Science, Technology, and Society at Virginia Tech and a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Georgia State University.
  • Lauren Kahn is a Senior Research Analyst at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) focused on national security applications of artificial intelligence. Prior to CSET, she was a Research Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) within the National Security and Defense and Digital and Cyberspace Policy Programs, where she worked on defense innovation and the impact of emerging technologies on international security, with a particular emphasis on AI. Her work has appeared in outlets including Foreign Affairs, Lawfare, War on the Rocks, AI & Society, and the Journal forConflict Resolution, and has been featured in The Economist. Lauren holds a master’s in computer and information technology and a B.A. in international relations, both from the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Richard Boyd is a tech entrepreneur and expert on AI, machine learning, virtual worlds, computer gaming, and human/computer interfaces. He is the co-founder and CEO of AI and machine learning company Tanjo AI, which is dedicated to helping companies and individuals achieve a balance between human and machine effort and intelligence. Richard is also the co-founder and CEO of Ultisim Inc., a simulation learning company that utilizes gaming technology and AI. He works with a wide variety of industries including energy, healthcare, defense, education, and motion pictures, and he has been instrumental in creating several pioneering computer gaming companies including Red Storm Entertainment with author Tom Clancy; iRock Entertainment with Ozzy Osbourne; and Timeline Computer Entertainment with author Michael Crichton. 

  • Dr. Sara Copic, Assistant Director of the DCI, will be moderating the panel. Dr. Copic specializes in the philosophy of language with a focus on linguistic competence. She is an affiliate researcher of the UNC AI Project, and she will be teaching a WRI 101 course in the spring called, “AI: Its Nature and Significance,” which will focus on the ways large language models work, whether they can understand meaning, how this technology may be socially transformative, and what risks it may pose to humanity.

When and where is it happening?

The forum will take place on February 5, 2024 from 5-7 PM in the Lilly Gallery in Chambers Hall. There will also be a Zoom option.

How do I sign up?

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Sign up here (be sure to indicate if you are attending in person or via Zoom). We hope to see you there!