02 Mar
Latest, U.S. Politics, Zoominars

The State of Democracy 2021: A Conversation with David Brooks and Robert Siegel

Now that we are almost halfway through the Biden Administration’s first 100 days, what is the current state of our democracy? Will Democrats and Republicans be able to put their differences aside and work together? What is the fallout from January 6th? Can Americans come back together again? New York Times columnist David Brooks is in conversation with Robert Siegel, Moment special literary contributor and former senior host of NPR’s All Things Considered. The State of Democracy is a Moment series hosted by Robert Siegel.

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20 Jul
Uncategorized

We, the (Arab) People

By Aarian Marshall Like many people my age, I watched the Arab Spring on CNN, from my university’s Student Campus Center. Sometimes, someone would change the channel—March Madness was on, and basketball involves a crowd of people screaming plus the satisfaction of a conclusion in 90 minutes. And Egypt felt so far away, its people so different and its struggles so foreign. Though historic, it was difficult to identify with what was happening in a world so far removed from my own. Underneath all the talking heads’ discussion and analyses, one consistent allusion stood out: “the people” of the region. “The people” of Tunisia and Egypt need to take change into their own hands; “the people” of Egypt and Tunisia need a little bit of help; the wants and needs of the Egyptian military don’t necessarily dovetail...

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16 Feb
Uncategorized

Let My People Vote!

By Steven Philp Egypt may lack a president, but it is not bereft of direction. Meeting two primary demands of pro-democracy protestors, Egyptian military leaders have dissolved the parliament, suspended the constitution and set a schedule for drafting a new one ahead of September elections. As the Washington Post details, this is one of the first steps towards civilian rule following the resignation of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak. The ruling council has communicated that these changes will remain in effect for six months until presidential and parliamentary elections can occur. In the meantime a committee is being formed to amend the constitution, and provide a vehicle for popular referendum to approve these changes. What is remarkable about these changes is their genesis within the citizens of Egypt. As noted by columnist and author Thomas L. Friedman, one...

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