2024 Schedule

Academia is beset by challenges related to free speech, admission policies, donor pressures and soaring costs. University leaders are simultaneously negotiating these minefields and convincing the next generation that college is still worth it. Can academia rise to these challenges?

What if the threat to American democracy came from within our own military? “War Game,” a 2024 Sundance Official Selection documentary, imagined just such a scenario and convened a bipartisan group of policymakers to respond. What did they learn — and how real is the threat?

From a father-daughter dance in a prison to playtime with incarcerated parents in a children’s museum, keeping families close has lasting ripple effects beyond bars. Hear from storytellers and leaders working inside the criminal justice system to help families stay connected.

Shakespeare's plays, rich with political intrigue, power struggles and ethical dilemmas, provide profound commentary on the nature of governance and leadership — and draw unsettling parallels to the political landscape today.

Over 1 million people globally are held as political prisoners. Two of the leading human rights attorneys working to release captives of authoritarian regimes and the mother of an American journalist kidnapped and killed by terrorists raise awareness about the struggles to win freedom for prisoners often forgotten.

We the people were not truly “We the People” until the Reconstruction amendments altered our Constitution in a post-Civil War "second founding". As we confront another democratic crisis, what new understandings could ensure our democratic renewal?

America’s southern border is a flashpoint for contentious political and cultural disagreements, as well as the site of a growing humanitarian crisis that existing laws, policies and institutions seem incapable of addressing. Are there any real solutions in sight?

Americans are expected to be active political citizens and leave their opinions at the workplace door. Renewed efforts to expand participation, representation and shared decision-making at work — think employee ownership, labor unions and an expanded set of economic rights — may offer a framework to rebuild faith in democracy.

Ethical dilemmas, turning organizations around and creating trust require wisdom and stamina from the top. Three consummate leaders with decades of experience in government, business and philanthropy reflect on the qualities needed to succeed.

With antisemitism resurgent, Simon Schama, acclaimed author of “The Story of the Jews,” speaks about the magnitude of the problem, examining “the oldest hatred” from the time of the Roman Empire to today. Afterward, Tree of Life CEO Carole Zawatsky and Ford Foundation President Darren Walker share news of a hopeful new institution that could change the way we combat antisemitism — and all forms of...

As repressive regimes clamp down on the press, they are now targeting media owners. China shut Hong Kong’s Apple Daily and locked up owner Jimmy Lai. Guatemala’s El Periódico founder José R. Zamora has faced lawsuits and been jailed for two years. The sons of Lai and Zamora and Lai’s attorney discuss the international campaigns to free these two courageous truth tellers.

While elected officials debate the necessity and scope of reparations for the historical stain of slavery, some individuals and private institutions with ties to the slave trade are stepping forward. What can we learn from their efforts to reckon with the past?

Architecture doesn’t just build edifices; it shapes societies. Even as transportation infrastructure creates and locks in racial inequality, there is hope that intentional design can create more equitable, sustainable and joyous communities. Together, a visionary architect and the president of the ACLU grapple with how architecture both mends and maintains social division.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced last month that he would change his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent, leaving many to wonder about his future plans in a divisive election year. Join the senator alongside his daughter, Heather Manchin, as they discuss their new organization, Americans Together, and how they hope to give politically homeless centrists a voice and direction.

The American prison and jail population has grown 500% since the 1970s, and calls for change are growing louder. Hear stories from a headlining musician and cultural leader, a nonprofit thinker and a MacArthur Fellow and scholar on the need to reinvent the toxic structures of incarceration.

President Biden promised to push for bipartisan legislation, and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s director has been key to the process. With a reputation as a skilled negotiator and a willingness to work across the aisle, OMB Director Young has navigated the threat of government shutdowns and a debt-ceiling crisis. What’s the secret to her success?

The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was, for many, proof of our nation’s hopeless polarization and the danger of unchecked radicalization. But who were these people who stampeded through the halls of Congress, and what motivated them? How can we build understanding so that we can disrupt extremism before it takes hold?

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has a reputation for getting things done, even as she leads a purple state that’s a battleground for many of our nation’s most hotly contested issues. Katie Couric talks with the Michigan governor about life, leadership and the lessons she has learned along the way. Governor Whitmer's new book, True Gretch, will be available for sale following the session.

Firearms are one of the leading causes of death among children in the U.S., a country where there have been more than 150 mass shootings in the first five months of 2024. Sit with those statistics for a moment — then ask what roles policy, litigation, art and public awareness can play in solving one of America’s most intractable problems.

Americans’ trust in the media is near an all-time low — a crisis exacerbated by waves of misinformation, conspiracy theories, fake news, social media and AI-generated content. How can serious journalism restore trust and defend a world based on truth and facts?

Polls show that many voters feel the Democratic Party is disconnected from the concerns of ordinary voters. Is it in danger of becoming the party of college-educated elites?

Join our panel of expert analysts for a pre-debate conversation about how the 2024 election is shaping up. Stay for the debate watch party and refreshments, then hear the panel weigh in on the debate performances and what we should watch for as we head into the national party conventions.

The rollback of reproductive rights, the push to end no-fault divorce, and gun laws that allow domestic abusers to own a firearm are turning the clock back on women’s rights. How can women preserve their freedoms?

Americans feel more polarized than ever, but two governors from opposite sides of the aisle have made it their mission to show otherwise.

Former Senators Bill Nelson and Kay Bailey Hutchison discuss the bipartisan work that defined their careers, suggest ways for today’s elected officials to find common ground, and tell how the two of them helped launch NASA into a new era of exploration.

Two billion people worldwide are set to vote in elections this year, amid global conflict, societal mistrust, broken information ecosystems — and the truth-destroying disruption of generative AI. Governments and tech companies can anticipate the chaos, but how can they mitigate AI’s effects?

As the Supreme Court concludes another contentious term, it is once again reshaping the legal landscape. With cases on abortion, gun rights and social media — and potentially democracy itself — on the docket, this year’s rulings couldn’t be more consequential.