OREM, Utah — Former Gov. Gary Herbert and former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams will explore American political culture and what productive political dialogue looks like in a discussion moderated by President Astrid S. Tuminez on April 9 from 10–11:30 a.m. via YouTube Live.
“We selected Gov. Herbert and Rep. McAdams for this discussion based on their political profiles in the State of Utah and, more importantly, for their reputations as people who are committed to bipartisanship and cooperation across party lines,” said Brian Birch, director of the Center for the Study of Ethics at Utah Valley University.
The event, free and open to the public, is hosted by the Appomattox Project, which is a multiyear effort focused on civic discourse, public policy, and democratic society, administered by UVU’s Center for the Study of Ethics in collaboration with campus and community partners. The discussion can be found at this link. No registration is required.
Those who participate in the discussion will learn about what it means to have productive political conversations and how to strengthen the fragile public square.
Birch stressed the importance of the topic by saying, “There is a widespread belief that our country has not been this fractured since the Civil War era. If we are to govern ourselves effectively, we need to create a culture of productive dialogue in which we can overcome tribalism, demonization, and mischaracterizations of our political opponents.”
For more information about the event, please visit the Appomattox Project Dialogue webpage.
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About Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah, with more than 40,000 students. The university boasts a dual-mission model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college. UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs, and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds. For more information, visit uvu.edu or follow @utah.valley.university on Instagram or Facebook.
