UNC Program for Public Discourse

04/29/2026

That’s a wrap on 2025–2026! You can find recordings of this year’s events in the first comment. Have a wonderful summer—we’ll see you in September!

04/13/2026

North Carolinians will head to the polls next November in what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races of 2026.

On April 8, political strategists Jonathan Felts and Morgan Jackson came to campus to offer an early preview of the campaign, moderated by veteran journalist David Crabtree.

Watch the full conversation—link in the comments.

04/06/2026

What does the Iran war mean for the global balance of power and U.S. foreign policy? Last week, our expert panel explored the political, economic, and military consequences of the conflict. Watch the video here!

What does the Iran war mean for the global balance of power and U.S. foreign policy? This expert panel explores the political, economic, and military consequ...

03/04/2026

Missed our recent Abbey Speaker Series event on race and the American founding?

The full conversation featuring Annette Gordon-Reed and Lucas Morel is now available on YouTube (link in comments).

We’re grateful for such an informative and engaging discussion on a topic of enduring importance. We also thank Max Owre, executive director of Carolina Public Humanities, for moderating.

02/20/2026

We’re honored to welcome Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” to the Abbey Speaker Series next Thursday!

Join us for a conversation on race and the American Founding—and what this history means for American democracy today. CLE credit available for UNC students attending in person.

Livestream link available; visit https://publicdiscourse.unc.edu/event/abbey-speaker-series-race-and-the-american-founding/

🕠 5:30–7 P.M. on Feb. 26, 2026
📍 FPG Student Union Auditorium
2h

01/22/2026

The Abbey Speaker Series explores Race and the American Founding from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, February 26 in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Auditorium.

Join historian Annette Gordon-Reed and political theorist Lucas Morel for a conversation on this topic, moderated by Max Owre, Executive Director of Carolina Public Humanities.

Students who attend in person can earn CLE credit. No tickets necessary; seating is first-come, first-served. Reserved tickets are available for guests coming from outside Chapel Hill; email [email protected] to reserve seats. You may also live stream by registering at this link. Please note that CLE credit is only available for students who attend in person.

Join us for pizza in the lobby afterward!

The Abbey Speaker Series marks the 250th anniversary of American independence with a discussion of Race and the American Founding from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, February 26 in the Frank […]

01/22/2026

We have lots of opportunities for hearing and engaging in civil discourse this semester. And often, there is free pizza!

For more info on these events, check publicdiscourse.unc.edu. Hope to see you there!

12/11/2025

Last week, PPD welcomed political scientist Frances Lee (Princeton) and infectious disease expert Dr. David Wohl (UNC) for a lively conversation about what has been learned from America’s response to COVID-19. The speakers discussed the role of the World Health Organization in responding to the outbreak, the history of pandemics, and the impact of partisanship on the U.S. pandemic policy. The conversation also included points from Lee’s recently published book, “In Covid’s Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us.” In case you missed it, here is the recording.

What can we learn from America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?  How should policymakers deal with future pandemics?  In a recent book co-authored with S...

11/11/2025

https://publicdiscourse.unc.edu/event/abbey-speaker-series-the-future-of-u-s-china-relations/

What is the future of US-China relations?
Join us Thursday, Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Auditorium for a conversation with Admiral Dennis Blair, Matt Turpin, and Susan Shirk.

No tickets are needed–seating is first come first served. Guests traveling from outside Chapel Hill can reserve seats by emailing [email protected]

The relationship between the United States and China profoundly impacts not only the citizens of both nations but the entire world. On November 13th, UNC history professor Mike Morgan will […]

10/31/2025

In case you missed the Abbey Speaker Series on “S*x, Gender, and Sports” a few weeks ago, here is a link to the recording.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

09/25/2025

American Values Series: Balancing Unity and Equality: The Case of Citizenship and Immigration

Join us for a zoom roundtable and a follow up discussion on balancing unity and equality in modern day America!

The zoom roundtable is Tuesday, September 30, 7-8:30 p.m. The registration link is below.

https://deliberativecitizenship.org/announcements/upcoming-webinar-on-the-250th-anniversary-american-values-deliberative-forum-series/

The follow up discussion is on Wednesday, October 1, 4-5:30 p.m. The discussion is located in the UNC Student Union Room 2420.

09/15/2025

Come work for us as the Administrative Support Associate!
Full Time Permanent
The UNC-CH Program for Public Discourse (PPD) is hiring for the Administrative Support Associate Position. The work schedule is Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 and some evenings/outside normal work hours. Job duties will include working with the Program Director of PPD to assist public and student events. Attending events outside of regular business hours is required. These events occur approximately 4-6 times per semester. Examples of responsibilities include handling receipts for reimbursement, submitting receipts for reimbursement, booking event venues, coordinating with speakers, and researching speakers. More details and the application can be found in the link below.

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.The Program for Public...