Community Conversations

To help break down partisan barriers as 2024 presidential election nears, Rob Baker and Staci Rhine, professors of political science, Julius Bailey, professor of philosophy, and Tom Taylor, professor of history, will share their expertise as part of the upcoming Springfield-based citizens' civic education series, "Community Conversations: Building and Strengthening Civic Friendships." The event will be hosted at the Springfield Museum of Art and directed by Kerry Pedraza, executive director of the United Way. This series is the brainchild of one of Baker's former students, Tracy Tackett, Wittenberg class of 2021, who is a current Springfield city commissioner.

Baker, whose fifth book, Strengthening American Democracy: Reflection, Action, and Reform, was recently released, said the whole idea is founded upon what Greek philosopher Aristotle referred to as "civic friendships," which says that people are in it together as a community and also need to be open to others' concerns and disagreements while being willing to work through them.

Open to Springfield-area residents, the series will feature approximately six sessions, each being 60 to 90 minutes in length leading up to the start of early voting for the November election. All sessions will take place on Monday evenings beginning July 15 at 5:30 p.m. and will include an interactive lecturing format, with suggested readings as background and plenty of opportunity for discussion. Additional dates include July 29, August 12 and 26, and September 9 and 23. Livestreaming discussions are also underway, as well as planning around social media engagement.

"United Way is known for being a convener in our community, and our hope is that these conversations will lead to greater engagement and civic friendships within our community," Pedraza said.

Sponsors for the event include Cox First Media/Springfield News-Sun, Wittenberg University and the college's Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement, the Springfield Foundation, the Crabill Family Foundation, the United Way of Clark, Champaign & Madison Counties, Seventh Wing Creative, Live from Springfield, USA, and the Springfield Museum of Art. With the goal of breaking down partisan barriers and learning more about what it means to be a good citizen, the event also will engage Clark County community organizations with expertise in history, philosophy, and political science.

The full lineup of conversations includes:

• July 15
  What Does Good Citizenship Mean to You?
  Professor of Political Science Rob Baker
  Slides for Presentation
• July 29
  Confirmation Bias and Media Consumption
  Professor of Political Science Staci Rhine
• Aug. 12
  The American Dream Under Stress
  Professor of Philosophy Julius Bailey
• Aug. 26
  What are America's Values?
  Professor of Political Science Rob Baker
• Sept. 9
  Polarization, Public Perception of the Legal System, and the Legitimacy of the Rule of Law
  Professor of History Tom Taylor
• Sept. 23
  How Does Gerrymandering Undermine Democracy, and What Can We Do About It?
  Professor of Political Science Rob Baker

Pedraza said the sessions are designed to be both educational and participatory, and several round tables will be set up to facilitate discussion. Light snacks and refreshments will be available, and doors will open at 5 p.m. with sessions beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Learn more about the series in the recent Springfield News-Sun story or on Wittenberg's Hagen Center website.

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