Online Workshop

Challenges to Democracy in 2022: Responding to Terrorism at Home and Abroad

Thursday, March 31, 2022 7:00 pm — 8:30 pm

Online Workshop

DETAILS

This is a two-part online workshop taking place March 31 and April 7, 7-8:30 pm ET. The workshop’s central question is “In defense of democracy, what should U.S. national policy be regarding terrorism at home and abroad?” We’ll balance the workshop’s focus between two perspectives:
1 – What is the threat posed by terrorism/violent extremism to democracy domestically and abroad, and what are appropriate responses?
2 – In addition to terrorism, what are other threats to democracy in 2022, and how should the United States respond?

The supplemental readings provided will include a focus on corruption, authoritarianism, and proliferation of misinformation/extremism on the internet.

March 31: This hands-on session provides an introduction to the approach, readings, lessons, and videos in the Choices Program’s Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy curriculum unit, and a short introduction to the April 7 session.

April 7: The first 45 minutes will be a facilitated panel discussion that aims to answer the central question, “In defense of democracy, what should U.S. national policy be regarding terrorism at home and abroad?” The remaining time will be devoted to participants’ questions and a moderated discussion.

Participants will be sent a set of short readings in advance. Some of the readings will test the idea of terrorism as the most pressing challenge to democracy. Participants are encouraged to bring questions to the discussion.

Presenters:
– Mimi Stephens, Choices Program
– Tom Brannan, retired high school teacher and DACOR member

Panelists (subject to change):
– Audrey Alexander, Instructor and Researcher, Combatting Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY
– Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for Africa, National Security Council
– Jonathan Lewis, Research Fellow, Program on Extremism, George Washington University
– Thomas W. Lippman, journalist, Middle East Institute
– Leanne Erdberg Steadman, United States Institute of Peace

Views expressed by panelists do not necessarily reflect views of the Choices Program, Brown University, DACOR, or the panelists’ organizations.

Co-sponsored by DACOR, an organization of foreign affairs professionals - www.dacorbacon.org.

$20 Per Person

Cover images from Choices curriculum unit on terrorism: collage includes mural of a girls face (one who disappeared in Nigeria in a Boko Haram kidnapping), a prisoner being led by two guards along a fence topped with barbed wire, the Twin Towers with enormous plumes of smoke billowing from them shortly before their collapse, and a row of Star of David gravestone replicas with flowers in front of them as part of a memorial to victims of anti-semitic violence

WHAT'S INCLUDED

The registration fee for this two-part workshop is $20. A full refund will be provided to participants who attend both sessions. No refund for no shows or for those who attend only one session. No purchase orders accepted for this program. Please pay by credit card or by check. If paying by check, please make it out to Brown University and mail it with a note indicating it is for the DACOR workshop to:
Choices Program
Brown University
Box 1948
Providence, RI 02912

Participants will receive a one-year license to the Choices Program’s Digital Edition of the Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy unit; a six-hour certificate of attendance; and short background readings to complete in advance of the first session.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This online workshop is open and appropriate for all educators who are interested in the topic. Participants are expected to complete short background readings before the program.

The readings and the Zoom link will be sent to registered participants approximately one week before the program.