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The Fragility of Democracy
January 21, 2021 @ 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Carolina Public Humanities & Carolina K-12 Presents a Special Event
“The Fragility of Democracy”
featuring Four Expert Panelists and A Public Conversation
Christopher Browning, Frank Porter Graham Professor of History Emeritus, UNC-Chapel Hill
William Sturkey, Associate Professor of History, UNC-Chapel Hill
Tinisha Shaw, History Teacher in Guilford County Public Schools
Lloyd Kramer, CPH Director and Professor of History, UNC-Chapel Hill
Moderator, Joanna Sierks Smith, CPH Associate Director for State Outreach
Recent events in the United States, including false claims about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and a mob assault on the Capitol of the United States, have created widespread fears that American democracy has fallen into its greatest crisis since 1860.
This special event will provide historical perspectives by placing current conflicts in a broad analytical context that ranges from the complex democratic legacies of the American and French Revolutions to the autocratic racism of the Jim Crow era in the American South and the Fascist nationalisms of the 1930s in Europe. We’ll also discuss the challenges facing educators who teach American history in North Carolina’s public schools.
How does the current political crisis in the United States resemble or differ from political conflicts in other eras of American and European history? How can we move beyond this crisis and assure the survival of strong democratic institutions? Why are democracies vulnerable to extremism? How can we help students learn to defend the values of a democratic political culture? Join us for a well-informed conversation about such issues and for an opportunity to contribute questions or comments via Zoom.
This Special Event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Information on how to access the virtual event will be sent to all registered participants via email on the day of the program.
Carolina Public Humanities and Carolina K-12 thank the North Caroliniana Society for generous support that makes this program available for teachers and facilitates historical conversations with educators throughout North Carolina.
Date and time: Thursday, January 21 @ 5:00-6:30 pm
Registration: This Special Zoom Webinar is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Information about how to access the event will be sent upon registering. A reminder will be sent the day before and day of the event.
Carolina Public Humanities thanks the North Caroliniana Society for generous support that makes this program available for teachers and facilitates historical conversations with educators throughout North Carolina.