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The McCourtney Institute for Democracy

The McCourtney Institutefor Democracy

We are partisans for democracy

What does it mean to be a partisan for democracy? We don’t take sides on the political spectrum, but we do defend the rights everyone has as a democratic citizen — from voting to protesting to consuming information from a free press that serves as a check on political leaders.

The McCourtney Institute for Democracy draws from the humanities and social sciences to examine democracy from multiple angles. This cross-discipline collaboration is evident in our research, education, and outreach efforts.

We educate the next generation of democratic citizens through our Nevins Fellows program, monitor attitudes toward democracy with the Mood of the Nation poll, and host speakers and events that bring people from diverse backgrounds and points of view together to discuss the role of democracy in our society.

We make all of this happen in partnership with our centers of excellence, the Center for American Political Responsiveness and the Center for Democratic Deliberation, and many other organizations throughout the College of the Liberal Arts and the broader Penn State community.

Stay Informed:

Democracy Works Podcast

February 3, 2025 - 10:00 am

It’s easy to feel defeated in the face of political challenges, but this episode shows that everyone has the capacity to create positive change and contribute to a culture of peace in their communities. In her book “Peace by Peace: Risking Public Action, Creating Social Change,” Lisa Silvestri shows how ordinary people addressed issues in their communities form the West Bank to Baltimore.  

Silvestri found those stories through a process she calls “crowdsourcing hope” and found that deliberately seeking out peace led her to discover more and more of it. The book is grounded in the Ancient Greek virtue phronesis, which Silvestri explains in the interview. We also discuss how not all social action needs to be political — and why it might be better if it’s not. 

After the interview, Cyanne Loyle and Candis Watts Smith discuss the power of using what frustrates you as an impetus for change, and how finding common cause can be more effective at reducing polarization than finding common ground.

Silvestri is an associate teaching professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State. She likes to think, write, and speak about war, peace, politics, social justice, digital culture, democracy and civic life. She has contributed to outlets including The Washington Post andThe New York Times and has spoken at The 92nd Street Y and The South by Southwest Festival.

Lisa Silvestri’s website

Peace by Peace classroom guide

Upcoming Events

February 26, 2025
200 Sparks Building
March 18, 2025
4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Sutliff Auditorium, 118 Lewis Katz Building
April 9, 2025
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
118 Katz Building
April 15, 2025
114 Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building

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