KU to host inaugural Democracy Day, featuring presentations by university researchers
Editor’s note: Media interested in attending should contact Emma Howard at e.howard@ku.edu.
LAWRENCE — The Center for Democratic Governance at the University of Kansas is hosting its first annual Democracy Day “Teach-In” Event on Sept. 18, bringing together faculty from social science disciplines across KU to share ongoing research related to democracy and to reflect on the importance of democratic institutions.
“At KU, we are lucky to have expert scholars producing excellent work about democracy,” faculty presenter Ashley Muddiman said. “Democracy Day is an opportunity for the community to discuss the future of government by the people, for the people.”
Staged as a series of short talks, the half-day event will foster discussion on a variety of topics ranging from the role of media credibility in democracy to the strength of the American presidency. The program is organized into four sessions, each concluding with a Q&A with the session’s speakers.
Session 1: Communications, Storytelling, Journalism
9-10:30 a.m.
- Ashley Muddiman, associate professor of communication studies: “There’s No Democracy Without Communication”
- Alyssa Appelman, associate professor of journalism: “Believe It or Not? The Effects of Journalistic Accountability and Transparency Practices on Media Credibility“
- Aimee Wilson, associate professor of women, gender & sexuality studies: “Pregnancy Stories: The Role of Narrative in U.S. Reproductive Activism.“
Session 2: Norms and Civic Education
10:30-11:30 a.m.
- Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor of Public Administration, Policy & Governance: “Democracy’s Social Contract: Standards to Inform Accountable Reforms”
- Sara Taliaferro, instructor, KU Public Management Center: “Reimagining the Public Square: Civic Life for an Inclusive Democracy”
- Anna Yonas, assistant professor of curriculum & teaching: “One Nation Under God? Fifty States’ Approaches to Teaching Religion in K-12 Public Education.”
Session 3: Populism and Corruption
Noon-1:15 p.m.
- Michael Wuthrich, associate professor of political science: “Party Renewal, Populism and Democracy”
- Glenn Adams, professor of psychology: “Truth or Consequences: Historical Fact Detection and Social/Civic Engagement.”
Session 4: Accountability and Reform
1:15-2:30 p.m.
- Zach Mohr, professor of public affairs & administration: “Re-establishing Trust in Elections”
- Ben Merriman, associate professor of public affairs & administration: “How Did the American Presidency Get So Strong?”
- Kevin Mullinix, associate professor of political science: “Civic Norms and the Challenge of Holding Leaders Accountable for Antidemocratic Rhetoric.”
The Center for Democratic Governance, housed at the Institute for Policy & Social Research, was founded in 2024 to advance the understanding of democratic governance. Under the co-direction of Koliba and Muddiman, the center aims to foster collaboration across researchers.
The inaugural event is aligned with other global and national celebrations of independence, falling shortly after International Democracy Day (Sept. 15) and U.S. Constitution Day (Sept. 17).
“We often take democracy and our self-governance for granted,” Muddiman said. “The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is a great opportunity to take stock. What is going well? What could be improved? What threats are facing democracy in the U.S and around the world? We are excited to have a day for conversation about these questions.”
For more information and registration details, visit the center’s event webpage.
Faculty, students and staff interested in becoming an affiliate with the center should contact democracy@ku.edu.