The Phil Lind Initiative: (Un)civil Discourse
Masha Gessen | January 26, 2023 | 6:00 – 7:30 PM (PT) | Frederic Wood Theatre
The United States is polarized like never before. While not alone in this respect, polarization in the United States is especially pernicious because it is accompanied by a high degree of negative partisanship as well as the unchecked spread of misinformation and disinformation. As a result, uncivil discourse—the use of language which is insulting, contemptuous, and which knowingly misattributes the motives of others—and political violence is on the rise, as witnessed in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Disillusioned with the state of political discourse, many Americans wish to restore civility. But how can a civil culture be reimagined in the current era?
This series not only explores some of the major factors fueling the rancor and divisiveness in American politics, but crucially it asks how can citizens and leaders find common ground across a range of political issues that divide them? Since Canadians are not immune to these forces, we too must ask how to sustain the respectful, honest, and deep conversations we need to address the substantive challenges facing democratic societies.
The 2023 Phil Lind Initiative series kicks off on January 26 with Masha Gessen— Award-winning author of eleven books and staff writer for The New Yorker bearing insightful and searing commentary on Russia, LGBTQ2+ rights, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and the rise of autocracy. Read more here.
“Gessen shines a piercing light into every dark corner.” —Foreign Affairs
The Phil Lind Initiative is presented by UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the UBC Vancouver campus, with live streaming. Each event is open to the public and free to attend.
