Events

Four Professors, Four Paths to a More Deliberative Classroom: The Spring 2025 DeeP Panel and Lunch

March 4, 2025 by Graham Bullock Leave a Comment

What do four different courses on contemporary economic issues, sports communication, the philosophy of love and sex, and race on film have in common? In each one, the professors intentionally worked to embed more open, constructive, and authentic discussions about difficult and contentious topics related to the course’s content.

Curious about what they did, and how they did it? Then join us on Thursday, March 20 from 11:05 am to 12:15 pm to hear from these four professors at a Faculty Panel and Lunch hosted by the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative. The discussion will be held in the Davidson College Library’s Large Group Tutor Room.

Professors Maggie McCarthy (German Studies, Davidson College), Rebecca Alt (Communications, Lenoir-Rhyne College), Rebecca Harrison (Philosophy, Vassar College), and Shyam Gouri Suresh (Economics, Davidson College) will be sharing their work as members of the Deliberative Pedagogy (DeeP) Collaborative. Over 60 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 interested in exploring 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 out for this amazing panel and conversation! You can participate 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!

DCI and Town of Davidson Host Community Conversation about a Future Red Line Station

March 3, 2025 by Graham Bullock

Last week, DCI fellows Garratt Rothberg ’27 and Zak Abdulahi ’27 hosted an insightful Community Conversation on the Red Line station in Davidson. The Planning Director of the Town of Davidson, Jason Burdette, delivered an informative presentation on the project plan and its expected benefits to Davidson to a diverse group of students, college faculty, and community members. Then, participants shared their thoughts and questions through an interactive activity, which segued into an engaging deliberation about the benefits of public transit to the community. All in all, participants were excited to discuss their thoughts on the Red Line and walked out of the event with a deeper understanding of the project at hand.

Shape the Future of Transportation: Davidson Red Line Station Design Planning Session

February 20, 2025 by Graham Bullock

Flyer for Red Line Station Conversation.

Imagine stepping onto a train in Davidson and arriving in Uptown Charlotte—no traffic, no parking stress, just a smooth, direct ride. That’s the vision behind the Red Line Commuter Rail, a long-planned 25-mile transit project connecting Charlotte with Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville. This major infrastructure investment could transform regional transportation, opening new opportunities for Davidson residents and students alike.

As the project gains momentum, community voices are more important than ever. Hopes about the project may be tempered by questions and concerns about its effects on traffic, parking, and neighboring communities. The current phase of the project is focused on identifying the best site for the station in Davidson, and several options have been identified.

Join us on February 26 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM for a Community Conversation on the Red Line Station in Davidson, co-hosted by the Town of Davidson and the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI). The event is being designed and organized by two DCI Fellows, Garratt Rothberg ’27 and Zak Abdulahi ’27, with support from one of the DCI’s Senior Fellows and Co-Conveners, Emre Guvenilir ’25.

This event offers a unique chance to:
🚆 Hear from the Town of Davidson about the latest station design options and project updates.
💬 Engage in small-group discussions guided by trained facilitators, where participants can share their hopes, concerns, and ideas.
✨ Consider the impact of the Red Line on mobility, economic development and community life in Davidson, and connections to Charlotte and other towns on the Red Line.

This conversation is designed to complement the Town’s previous detailed information sessions by offering a space for dialogue and reflection—especially for Davidson College students, faculty, staff, and community members eager to explore the project’s implications.

Everyone is welcome—whether you’re excited, skeptical, or simply curious about what the Red Line could mean for Davidson’s future. Come join the conversation and help shape the vision for our town’s transit future!

📍 Date & Time: Wednesday, February 26 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Davidson College Union, Sprinkle Room, Fourth Floor (in person)

Registration is not required, but if you sign up we’ll send you a Deliberation Guide that will provide you with some useful background about the project. We’ll also have donuts from Milkbread to enjoy during the conversation. We look forward to seeing you there!

War, Peace, and Ginkgo Trees: A Deliberative Forum on the Legacies of WWII in the Asia Pacific Region

February 20, 2025 by Graham Bullock

In the spring of 2024, eight ginkgo tree saplings were planted on the Davidson campus between the Library, the Wall Science Center, and Chambers. These saplings, descendants of trees that survived the US military’s atomic bombing of Hiroshima, were donated by Green Legacy Hiroshima to promote awareness about the dangers of warfare. While serving as powerful reminders of the devastation caused by nuclear weapons, the ginkgo trees’ symbolism has raised the concern that the project’s focus on the impacts on Japan risks overlooking the broader and more complex history of World War II in the Asia-Pacific.

People from different countries in the region have different historical perspectives on the war, which make drawing a universal lesson from their experiences difficult. The ginkgo trees, therefore, encourage us to discuss these questions: What should we say about the legacies of World War II in the Asia-Pacific region? How can we craft an interpretation that honors the universal suffering caused by war while respecting the diverse ways nations and individuals remember this history? By approaching these questions with openness and a commitment to historical nuance, we reflect not only on the past but also on our shared responsibility for shaping a more peaceful future.

Davidson College’s Deliberative Citizenship Initiative invites you to join our Deliberative Forum on Wednesday, March 5th, where participants will first hear presentations from three speakers from Davidson College. Dr. Kristi Multhaup, Vail Professor of Psychology, will share the story of the ginkgo tree saplings and how they came to Davidson. Assistant Professor of History, Dr. Dáša Mortensen, will provide an overview of the history of World War II in the Asia-Pacific and its effects on the region. Dr. Keren Zhu, Assistant Professor of Political Science, will then examine how the war has shaped the collective memories of countries in the region and their relationships with each other today.

After the presentations, attendees at the forum will share their thoughts with each other about the legacies of WWII in the Asia Pacific. Facilitated by the DCI’s trained facilitators, these deliberations will generate ideas for signs and related interpretative materials that will be placed alongside the ginkgo trees on campus, representing the Davidson community’s reflections on the devastation of war and its aspirations for peace.

The event, which is co-hosted with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, East Asian Studies, History, and Political Science Departments, will be both in person in the Lilly Gallery and online over Zoom on March 5 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Find out more about the event and sign up to attend the forum by March 2 at this link. We look forward to seeing you and hearing your thoughts at the event!

Registration is required as dinner will be served as part of the event (from Sabi!). Sign up today as seats are limited!

This event has been planned by a team of Davidson students and faculty, including Keya Zhou ’25, Luna Noguchi ’25, Flo Moser ’26, Romeo Norris ’27, Casey Scheiner ’28, Lily Ogawa ’28, and Dr. Graham Bullock…To learn more about this project, check out the Ginkgo Project overview document below.

DCI-Gingko-Tree-Project-Summary

Yes, It is Possible: You Can Deliberate, Eat Pizza, and Play Ping Pong Simultaneously!

January 29, 2025 by Graham Bullock

photo of students deliberating around a table with ping pong in the background.

For the last several years, the DCI has hosted a kickoff party at the beginning of every semester to create a space for students and other members of our community to get together after being apart over the winter and summer breaks. These parties are designed to be low-key and fun – we have music, provide pizza, and give away prizes throughout the event. We also provide a lightly structured opportunity for people who join us to talk about a range of interesting topics – political and social issues, economic and education issues, and a mix of thought-provoking and light-hearted life questions. Throughout the event, we also share information about upcoming DCI events and some quick tips on how to deliberate constructively and respectfully across differences.

group of three people eating pizza and talking

This spring we mixed it up a little bit by co-hosting the event with the Ping Pong Club and enabling people to play some ping pong in between their bites of pizza and their conversations with new and old friends. While there were a few errant balls that might have hit people as they returning for a second piece of pizza :), it was a great mashup of physical activity and dynamic discussions. We had nearly 50 people join us, many of whom had never attended a DCI event before, and several signed up for our upcoming DCI programs.

tables of people talking and playing ping pong

Table discussions were thoughtful and engaged, guided by our DCI Fellows. Every fifteen minutes or so, people were invited to move to a different table to explore a different set of topics. Some certainly did so, but many stuck with their current conversation partners, happy to further engage with one another on the questions raised at their table.

Overall, it was a great way to kickoff the semester and continue our efforts to promote a more deliberative culture on campus, and to show how deliberation can be fun and welcoming for everyone (ping pong players and non ping pong players alike!).