Reimagining Democracy: America at 250

As part of its free public programming, Stanford Continuing Studies is proud to present the third annual Reimagining Democracy, a weekly speaker series produced with the Office of Community Engagement, the Stanford Democracy Hub, and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law.

This six-part series, hosted by Dean Debra Satz and Professor Larry Diamond, features Stanford scholars who help us understand democracy: how America’s founding 250 years ago shapes public life today, and where we go from here in reimagining and strengthening democratic values and governance, at home and around the world. This year’s series features constitutional, electoral, social science, and humanities experts with conversations connecting to the US November midterm elections and beyond.

The series will be recorded and the videos will be available to view at a later date.

Schedule & Topics

October 7: Federalism in America 1776–2026

Jonathan Gienapp, Professor of History and Law and the Nehal and Jenny Fan Raj Civics Faculty Fellow in Undergraduate TeachingSarah Anzia, Senior Fellow (adjunct) at the Hoover Institution and Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at UC BerkeleyOctober 14: Global Democracy and Elections in Comparative Perspective

Alberto Díaz-Cayeros, Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Co-Director of the Democracy Action LabAnna Grzymala-Busse, Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of International Studies and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and, by courtesy, at the Hoover InstitutionOctober 21: Money, Parties, and Politics

Brandice Canes-Wrone, Professor of Political Science, Maurice R. Greenberg Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and Director of the Center for Revitalizing American InstitutionsDidi Kuo, Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and manager of the Program on American Democracy in Comparative Perspective at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of LawOctober 28: Voting Rights and Electoral Reforms

Nate Persily, James B. McClatchy Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the Co-Director of the Stanford Law AI InitiativeNovember 4: Midterm Reflections

Ben Ginsberg, Volker Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover InstitutionPamela S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law and Co-Director of the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic at Stanford Law SchoolNovember 11: Reimagining Civil and Public Service in Our Democracy

Joe Felter, Director of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, Hoover Fellow, and retired US Army Ranger and Special Forces officerIra Lit, Professor, Graduate School of Education and Peter E. Haas Faculty Director of the Haas Center for Public ServiceLerone A. Martin, Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professor in Religious Studies and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute