Showing 71 results for tag Politics

This Is the Moment

Andrew DeVigal on how civic dialogue helps build healthier communities.

Beyond the Margins | November 26, 2024

Consider This: Reinventing American Democracy with Danielle Allen

A conversation about the failings and challenges of democracy in the United States and what we can do about them with Danielle Allen, director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center. How can we find common purpose to build a stronger democratic society amid today’s complex political climate?

Consider This | November 21, 2024

Consider This: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century with Danielle Allen

A conversation about the failings and challenges of democracy in the United States and what we can do about them with Danielle Allen, director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center. How can we find common purpose to build a stronger democratic society amid today’s complex political climate?

Event | May 7, 2025

Consider This: Our Place in the World with Ben Rhodes

A conversation about geopolitics, American power, and public service with Ben Rhodes, a former national security and diplomacy advisor to President Barack Obama and host of the Pod Save the World podcast.

Consider This | November 1, 2024

An Honor and a Duty

Eddie Melendrez on bringing more perspectives into public office

Magazine | August 26, 2024

A Radical Idea

Mark Putney on the revolutionary vision of public education and the challenges facing Oregon's schools

Magazine | August 26, 2024

Consider This: Preserving Democracy for Future Generations with Manu Meel

Join us on November 10 for a conversation about preserving democracy for future generations with Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA.

Consider This | July 22, 2024

Broken Glass, Broken Trust

A sermon by Robert Leo Heilman first read at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Roseburg in spring 2022

Magazine | April 22, 2024

Conversation Project: What Does Democracy Require?

As we begin, however tentatively, to move into a new moment in US political life, calls for unity are often met with skepticism and disdain. But perhaps unity is the wrong measure of democracy anyway. What if we ask instead, Who are our people? Where do we belong? In this moment coming out of the pandemic, let’s think together about expanding the scope of our people and what it means to belong so that we can consider what democracy requires of us and for us in this fraught moment.

RSVP for this conversation.

Event | April 18, 2024

Youth Civic Engagement Summit

This Youth Civic Engagement Summit is facilitated by the college and high school students who lead the League of Women Voters of Oregon (LWVOR) Youth Council. The Summit will provide guidance for effectively engaging with their government officials in testimony, partnership and policy change to empower youth supporting democracy through interactive breakout workshops, engaging discussions, and dedicated time to build community connections. This full day summit features interactive breakout workshops, engaging discussion topics, and dedicated time to build community connections.

Read more and register for this event.

Event | March 8, 2024

Portrait of My Mother in Mint Green

She lived most of her life in the United States. Why didn’t she become a citizen?

Magazine | December 15, 2023

Conversation Project: Understanding Urban/Rural Divides

We live in a time of increasing polarization that often correlates to divides between urban and rural regions in our state. This polarization is so extreme that it often seems like the two sides may have completely different experiences of the world. Join facilitator Nick Nash in a conversation that asks, How does the urban/rural divide affect the ways we relate to each other as Oregonians? What is the urban/rural divide, and how do we understand it? How does this divide affect our day-to-day lives, our experiences of being governed, and of the COVID-19 pandemic? This conversation is a chance to reflect on the beliefs we have about our urban or rural neighbors with a focus on discovering and abandoning misbeliefs, investigating and learning about the real differences between the urban and the rural, and trying to find things that we all share as Oregonians.

Event | August 9, 2023

Consider This Reading Group: How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations

Which do you value more: the truth or your own beliefs? Oregon Humanities invites you to a discussion of Mónica Guzmán's essay "How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations" (originally published in Greater Good Magazine). Together we'll explore Guzmán strategies for fostering curiosity and understanding across divides, including sharing "snapshot" opinions, acknowledging agreement, and admitting uncertainty. We will also discuss takeaways from our April 18 Consider This conversation with Guzmán at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland. Rozzell Medina will facilitate the reading group discussion.

Event | April 26, 2023

Consider This: Black Political Power in Oregon

Join us for a conversation on the state of Black political power in Oregon with Joy Alise Davis, executive director at Imagine Black; Keith Jenkins, director of Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists, & Community Coalition; and Marcus LeGrand, vice-chair of Bend-La Pine Schools. Journalist Bruce Poinsette will facilitate the conversation.

This program will take place in-person and will be streamed live, for free, on YouTube. Read more about this event.

Event | September 14, 2022

Making Pre-K Possible

This comic by Sarah Mirk explores how universal preschool went from an idea to the ballot to law in 2020.

Magazine | April 26, 2022

“Let’s Give Oregonians a Chance to Shape the Future of the State”​

Hanna Merzbach interviews Kevin Frazier, founder of the website The Oregon Way

Beyond the Margins | November 4, 2021

Putting in the Work

This comic by Jonathan Hill explores how people can stay engaged in politics and advocate for the changes they want to see outside of major election cycles.

Magazine | August 12, 2021

Seeking Common Ground: Looking Past the Rural-Urban Divide

National political discourse has amplified a conflict between rural and urban interests, culture, and values that has resulted in a bifurcated reality: two “bubbles” of experience whose paths do not often cross in the media nor in our daily lives. This session will shed light on the potential common interests in these disparate experiences, toward consensus about what the future could be. This program is supported by a Public Program Grant from Oregon Humanities.

Event | June 3, 2021

Charter Review

This comic by Beka Feathers and Aki Ruiz explains Portland's charter review process.

Beyond the Margins | April 29, 2021

Putting in the Work

This comic by Jonathan Hill explores how people can stay engaged in politics and advocate for the changes they want to see outside of major election cycles.

Beyond the Margins | April 29, 2021

Who's Being Left Out?

Lucy Bellwood illustrates the history of voting rights in Oregon and efforts to expand who gets a say in our democracy.

Magazine | April 27, 2021

Connect in Place: What Does Democracy Require?

Join David Gutterman for a conversation about what democracy requires of us and for us in this fraught moment.

Event | March 23, 2021

Consider This with Eric K. Ward

Our 2020–21 Consider This conversation series is all about democracy and civic engagement—how it works, who gets to participate, and how it can break down. We're hosting live conversations with journalists and scholars with insight into how our democracy is working and the threats it faces. On April 7, join Eric K. Ward, director of Western States Center, for a conversation on democracy, participation, and justice.

Event | April 7, 2021

Consider This with Leah Sottile

A conversation with Leah Sottile, an Oregon journalist who has done in-depth reporting on extremist right-wing movements in the western United States. We'll talk about how fringe religious and political movements have grown and gained political power in the western United States.

Event | March 16, 2021

Clicking

After moving back to Portland, Marbla Reed looks for connection in online event organizing, but finds creating community without the context of preexisting relationships more challenging than anticipated.

Magazine | December 17, 2020

The Fire is Upon Us

On February 18, 1965, an overflowing crowd packed the Cambridge Union in Cambridge, England, to witness a historic televised debate between James Baldwin, the leading literary voice of the civil rights movement, and William F. Buckley Jr., a fierce critic of the movement and America’s most influential conservative intellectual. The topic was “the American dream is at the expense of the American Negro,” and no one who has seen the debate can soon forget it. Forest Grove Public Library presents this online program featuring Nicholas Buccola, Elizabeth and Morris Glicksman Chair in Political Science at Linfield University and author of The Fire Is upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate over Race in America, in conversation with Dr. Paul Snell, Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics and Government at Pacific University. This event will stream live to the library's Facebook page and YouTube channel starting at 6:30 pm and will include a Q&A session at the end of the evening. This program is made possible with support from Oregon Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Event | February 9, 2021

Consider This with David French

Our 2020–21 Consider This conversation series is all about democracy and civic engagement—how it works, who gets to participate, and how it can fail. On February 2, join us for a conversation with David French, author of Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.

Event | February 2, 2021

Consider This with Hahrie Han

Our 2020–21 Consider This conversation series is all about democracy and civic engagement—how it works, who gets to participate, and how it can fail. On February 16, join us for a conversation with Hahrie Han, director of the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Event | February 16, 2021

Heavy

Pandemic and politics surfaced feelings I couldn't face, or even describe. So I ate them. An essay by Bobbie Willis Soeby

Beyond the Margins | October 16, 2020

Think & Drink: Why Voting Matters

Jackson County Library Services presents a panel discussion with Jackson County Clerk Christine Walker, Associate Professor of Political Science William Hughes from Southern Oregon University, and Cathy Shaw a successful campaign manager, three-time mayor of Ashland, and President of the Jackson County Library District Board of Directors. This program is sponsored by Oregon Humanities.

Event | October 6, 2020

Connect in Place: What Just Happened? What Happens Next?

One week after election day, Adam Davis will facilitate an online community conversation about the results of federal, state, and local elections. This statewide conversation will focus less on the numbers than on the significance of these results for ourselves and our communities.

Event | November 10, 2020

Consider This with Jamelle Bouie

One week before Election Day, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie will talk with Oregon Humanities about democracy, moments of transition, and the significance of this particularly charged political moment. Bouie has been an observer of political culture and someone whose work has shaped culture—in print, on television, on twitter, and even through his photography—and as we talk about the political moment, we'll also explore the relationship between politics and culture.

Event | October 27, 2020

Consider This with Anis Mojgani, Demian DinéYazhi', and Sharita Towne

While art is always political, the rancor and unrest of US politics in recent years have moved many artists to engage with politics more directly. In this online conversation, we'll talk with three artists whose work often deals with political themes about the intersections of art and politics: Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani, poet and visual artist Demian DinéYazhi', and multidisciplinary artist and educator Sharita Towne.

Event | September 29, 2020

Organizing from the Outside

Jyothi Natarajan talks with Oregonians finding connection while protesting oppression in Kashmir from afar.

Magazine | April 27, 2020

Dear Stranger

Dear Stranger is a letter-exchange project that connects Oregonians through the mail to share experiences, beliefs, and ideas.

Other Projects | March 1, 2020

Think & Drink with Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Eddy Morales, and Ana del Rocío

Join former Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, and Ana del Rocío, executive director of Oregon Futures Lab, for a conversation about running for and holding public office.

Think & Drink | February 5, 2020

The State That Timber Built—2012

Tara Rae Miner considers what Oregon owes to the struggling timber communities that helped shape the state’s identity in this essay from the 2012 “Here” issue.

Magazine | December 23, 2019

This Place Is Beautiful, This Place Is Gross

Sarah Cook writes about learning to see beauty and perseverance while living in The Dalles.

Beyond the Margins | September 16, 2019

Think & Drink with Desmond Meade

Join us for an onstage conversation about voting rights and the future of democracy with Desmond Meade, executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.  Meade is a formerly homeless returning citizen who overcame many obstacles to eventually lead the FRRC to a historic victory in 2018 with the successful passage of Amendment 4, a grassroots citizen’s initiative which restored voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with past felony convictions. He is also chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy and a graduate of Florida International University College of Law. At this event, Meade will appear in conversation with Adam Davis, executive director of Oregon Humanities.  Think & Drink is an onstage conversation series that explores provocative ideas and fresh perspectives. Come prepared to listen, watch, and engage. We invite you to stay after the program for snacks and conversation. Minors are welcome when accompanied by an adult. The Alberta Rose Theatre is accessible by Trimet bus lines 17, 70, and 72. The venue is wheelchair accessible. 

Event | October 16, 2019

Think & Drink with Desmond Meade

The 2019–20 Think & Drink series, Making Democracy, kicks off with the executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.

Think & Drink | August 14, 2019

Think & Drink Portland 2019–20: Making Democracy

Four onstage conversations with activists, writers and civic leaders about how we make decisions together in our communities

Think & Drink | August 8, 2019

Process and Privilege

Cynthia Carmina Gómez writes about how efforts to rename a Portland street for César Chávez faced intense opposition, despite following a process that other petitions were allowed to circumvent.

Magazine | April 29, 2019

Think & Drink with Danielle Allen

The 2018–19 Think & Drink series on Journalism and Justice continues with a conversation with political theorist Danielle Allen, professor at Harvard University and author of the memoir Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A.

Event | May 22, 2019

People, Not Pundits

Catherine Johnson writes about attending a conservative convention in an effort to understand her mother's politics.

Magazine | August 30, 2018

Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond

This conversation explores how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together.

Event | July 8, 2018

Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond

Join writer, educator, and former minister Russ Pierson in a conversation about how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together.

Event | February 4, 2018

Think & Drink on Organizing in Oregon

Join us for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities in community organizing around Oregon at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland.

Event | January 24, 2018

Field Work: People in Motion

The University of Oregon’s Wayne Morse Center explores borders, migration, and belonging.

Magazine | December 15, 2017

Protecting Inequality

Anoop Mirpuri on the economic causes of racist policing

Magazine | December 15, 2017

On Bearing Bad News

Robert Leo Heilman writes about trying and failing to save library services in Douglas County.

Beyond the Margins | November 21, 2017

History in the News: Should Historians Be Pundits?

Recent editorials in the New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post have raised questions about whether and how historians ought to opine on current events and political issues. Are historians supposed to be apolitical? How should historians engage in political debate—if at all? This event is funded in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities.

Event | July 20, 2017

Conversation Project: Are International Trade Agreements Good for Oregon?

Oregonians have been active and vocal participants in global debates over trade since the creation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Lawyer and researcher Michael Fakhri will lead participants in a conversation about how we assess the value of international trade agreements.

Event | May 12, 2017

Conversation Project: A World without Secrets

Privacy and Expectations in the US

Event | May 30, 2017

Community Forum on Identity and the Use of Race on National Forms

The NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch hosts a forum about racial identification on government forms. This is an Oregon Humanities grant-funded event.

Event | March 1, 2017

King Tide

An excerpt from Micah White's book, The End of Protest: A New Playbook for the Revolution

Magazine | December 6, 2016

The Longest of Long Shots

A Sanders delegate's brush with national party politics. An essay by Valdez Bravo

Magazine | December 6, 2016

Just People Like Us

Writer Guy Maynard on a little-known history of a Southern Oregon community during World War II where prisoners of war were more welcome than US military of color

Magazine | April 11, 2016

Whose State Is This?

Journalist Brent Walth on how legal measures targeting Latino Oregonians reflect fears of change.

Magazine | December 18, 2015

A Return Passage

Reporter Putsata Reang and photographer Kim Nguyen share their stories of leaving their home countries as refugees, meeting as students at the University of Oregon, and returning to Southeast Asia as journalists. A film produced by Dawn Jones for Oregon Humanities.

Beyond the Margins | August 5, 2015

Origin Stories

The surprising beginnings of six of Oregon’s claims to fame

Magazine | July 31, 2014

An Anecdotal Glossary of Spectacle

M. Allen Cunningham sorts through our landscape of scandal, show, and distraction

Magazine | July 25, 2013

Warp and Weft

Editor Kathleen Holt on conflict in sports and politics

Magazine | August 7, 2012

A Century of War

Writer and historian Andrew Bacevich on changing the way Americans think about war

Magazine | August 7, 2012

The Good Fight

Can letting our children roughhouse lead to a better democracy? An essay by Sarah Gilbert

Magazine | August 7, 2012

Water Wars

Journalist J. David Santen Jr. on how battles, compromises, and resolutions abound in a state flush with water.

Magazine | August 7, 2012

The State That Timber Built

Tara Rae Miner on what Oregon owes the struggling timber communities that helped shape the state’s identity

Magazine | April 8, 2012

Firing a Friend

It's hard to be a good citizen during an election year. An essay by Jennifer Ruth

Magazine | December 10, 2011

Unimaginable Riches

The unfamiliar offers its own rewards. An essay by Joanne Mulcahey

Magazine | August 12, 2011

The Working Class

Bette Lynch Husted argues that hard times are good times to rethink our attitudes about the fungibility of workers.

Magazine | August 10, 2010

Public Servant

A cab driver who’s an elected official by day has his work cut out for him. An essay by David Bragdon

Magazine | August 10, 2010