No matter what our political views, few people believe our country is as united as it should be. Whether in the media, politics or even in our personal relationships, we all recognize that the country is increasingly defined by a culture of contempt — in which people treat others with whom they disagree as defective or worthless. Within this distressing reality, however, there lies an opportunity for our nation.

In an age of tribalism, nationalism, populism and identity politics, are we ungratefully throwing away what made the West the free and prosperous place it is today? National Review Senior Editor and AEI Fellow Jonah Goldberg diagnosed our civilization's ills and tries to offer some solutions.

Abraham Lincoln looked to the founding fathers — George Washington, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson — all his life for inspiration and for guidance in self-expression and politics. But two other fathers also preoccupied him: his biological father, Thomas Lincoln, and — especially as the Civil War ground on — God the father.

The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership had a panel discussion, "Religion in the Civic Sphere,” moderated by Arizona State University’s John Carlson from the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict.

The discussion was co-sponsored by the University of Mary and included the following guests: Ross Douthat, Kathryn Jean Lopez and Amy Sullivan.

The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership hosted a panel discussion entitled, "What's Ailing Liberal Democracy? What Tocqueville Can Still Teach Us."

Liberal democracy finds itself in poor health in the first decades of the 21st century. The rise of populism, decaying social cohesion, threats to free speech and anti-immigrant sentiment have raised questions about the future — and even inherent viability — of democratic liberalism.

Part of the 2017-2018 lecture series, “Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education and American Society,” at Arizona State University.

“For the sake of science and math, for the sake of international competitiveness, and even more for the sake of defending the worth and dignity of the individual, the reinvigoration of the humanities and the restoration of liberal education as education for freedom must become a priority.”

Part of the 2017-2018 lecture series, “Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education and American Society,” at Arizona State University.  

Part of the 2017-2018 lecture series, “Free Speech and Intellectual Diversity in Higher Education and American Society,” at Arizona State University.

On Nov. 9, New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Haidt, author of "The Righteous Mind" and co-founder of Heterodox Academy, visited Arizona State University to contribute to our discussion this year of free speech on campus in his presentation: America's Escalating Outrage: Why Is it Happening, What Does it Do to Colleges and How can We Reverse It?"