University of Michigan Democracy & Debate Theme Semester

Scenic view of a U-M building with flowers blooming in the foreground

Democracy & Debate Theme Semester

This university-wide educational initiative will engage with students, faculty, and staff on an exploration of free speech and exchange of ideas, what it means to be a member of a democratic society, and democratic engagement from a global perspective.

More about the theme semester »

Featured

BIG 10 voting challenge

Your Voice. Your Vote.

Launched in 2017, the Big Ten Voting Challenge is a nonpartisan initiative created to spur civic engagement and encourage more students across the Big Ten to head to the polls on Election Day. Each of the 14 schools within the Big Ten Conference are competing in the challenge.

Democracy Cafe

Communicate. Learn. Understand

Democracy Cafés celebrate the ability of people to meet in public spaces to exchange ideas, engaging each other both socially and intellectually.

Featured event

America's Mayors On Crisis And Change

This year has tested mayoral leadership like no other. Join us to learn from four leading majors how they respond tactically to emergent crises while sustaining progress toward long-term goals.

Faculty Expert

J. Alex Halderman

A professor of computer science and engineering and director of the Center for Computer Security and Society, Professor Halderman can discuss vulnerabilities in the U.S. voting system.

What makes Democracy & Debate distinctive is not only the contributions from across the university, but also the connection to the presidential election season and watch parties for the debates. This gives us the potential to have conversations that span the campus, the state and the globe. We’ve never had a theme semester with this kind of reach.

- Angela Dillard, Professor, U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Chair, Presidential Debate Academic Advisory Committee