Each May, Penn State student visit Ireland to learn about how deliberative democracy has helped the country work through major political and social conflicts. The course, CAS 299H: The Culture of Deliberative Democracy in Ireland, is one of many embedded courses offered in the College of the Liberal Arts.

Under the direction of Jessica O’Hara, teaching professor of communication arts and sciences, and Lori Bedell, associate teaching professor of communication arts and sciences, students produce blogs, documentaries, and podcasts about what they learned and experienced on the trip.

Fall 2025 Screening

The Center for Democratic Deliberation will host a screening of documentaries produced by the May 2025 cohort on Wednesday, September 17 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in 515 Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building. Light refreshments will be provided.

Screening Schedule

3:00 p.m. – Welcome and Opening Remarks 
3:10 p.m. – “Citizens’ Assemblies in Ireland: Their Rise and Fall”
3:30 p.m. – “Historical Crisis and its Role in Shaping Ireland’s Contemporary Political Responses”
3:50 p.m. – “More Irish Than the Irish Themselves: The Contemporary Challenges to Traditions of Assimilation and Welcome in Ireland”
4:10 p.m. – “Education in Ireland and Its Impact on Democratic Practices” 
4:30 p.m. – “‘The Power We Hold’: A Reflection on Irish Democracy from American Students’ Perspectives.”
4:50 p.m. – Final thoughts and questions