UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy

09/10/2026

Now open on the third floor of Shannon Library

Who decides what belongs in public space, and what do those choices say about our democracy?

"The Monuments: Who Should Shape Public Space?," a new exhibit from the Karsh Institute of Democracy and the University of Virginia Library, explores these questions through photographer and former Karsh Institute Practitioner Fellow Sanjay Suchak’s images documenting the removal and current status of Confederate monuments across Virginia.

Check it out today!

09/08/2026

Virginia holds its state and local elections in odd-numbered years, so residents go to the polls every year—unlike voters in almost every other state. Only four others do the same: Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Jersey.

Last year the Virginia General Assembly formed a joint subcommittee to study whether to align state and local elections with the federal calendar, and it turned to the Karsh Institute for research.

A multidisciplinary team of faculty, staff, and student researchers reviewed the social science literature, compared other states' experiences, surveyed Virginia residents, and interviewed local election administrators to find out more.

Read the full story:

A subcommittee of the Virginia General Assembly invited researchers to examine what would happen if the Commonwealth aligned its voting calendar with federal elections.

09/03/2026

"It gave me hope that our system is not as broken as society may tell us it is."

In the final episode of our Civic Cornerstone Fellowship (CCF) series, students share what it's like to sit down with peers who see the world differently—and what they walked away with. Sharper listening skills. Unexpected friendships. And a renewed belief in the possibility of real dialogue.

More than 1,000 students across all 12 UVA schools and 50+ fields of study have gone through CCF since it launched in 2024. Hear their stories.

09/01/2026

This year, four of the sharpest public voices in American law, economic policy, journalism, and politics are joining the Karsh Institute as Distinguished Practitioner Fellows: The New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, American Compass founder and chief economist Oren Cass, the American Enterprise Institute's Yuval Levin, and legal commentator and public scholar Melissa Murray.

The fellowship is built to give practitioners the time and space to think deeply. “I can think in bigger-picture terms than I'm able to with a weekly column,” said Bouie.

The fellows' projects differ: Judicial and electoral reform. Economic security as a precondition for democratic participation. Trust in American institutions. The rule of law in everyday life.

But all four are after the same thing: what it takes to revitalize self-government and civic life.

Four thought leaders from different fields are working with us to examine what keeps American democracy going—and how we can make it stronger.

08/31/2026

Why is it so hard to have a real conversation with someone who sees the world differently than you do? Part of the answer: we rarely get the chance to try.

In episode two of our video series on the Civic Cornerstone Fellowship (CCF), Professor Rachel Wahl, who leads research on the program, shares what her work reveals about the power — and limits — of structured dialogue across difference. Her research shows that these conversations don't need to change anyone's mind to be valuable; they can deepen how we understand our own beliefs and each other's.

See how the Karsh Institute of Democracy turns that research into practice at the University of Virginia and beyond.

08/28/2026

How do you prepare students to disagree well — without losing sight of each other's humanity?

That's the challenge the Karsh Institute of Democracy's Civic Cornerstone Fellowship (CCF) was built to meet. In episode one of our new video series, program creators and practitioners break down what makes CCF different: a sustained peer-cohort model, guided mindfulness practices, and a design grounded in more than a decade of research.

Since launching at UVA in 2024, over 1,000 students from all 12 schools and 50+ fields of study have taken part — and the model is now expanding to campuses nationwide.

08/26/2026

In 1776, Americans declared independence from Britain. But declaring a nation and proving it could deliver justice were two very different things.

In the new book "The American Revolution on Trial," historian T. H. Breen tells the story of a dramatic wartime trial that was prosecuted by a lawyer trained in John Adams' offices. It became the young republic's chance to make its case for a political order built on equality rather than aristocratic privilege.

Breen joins UVA historian Paul Halliday for the first conversation of the semester in our ongoing "Touchstones of Democracy" series.

🗓 Thursday, September 3 | 12–1 PM
📍 Bond House, 600 Brandon Ave.
🥪 Free lunch at 11:30 AM (first come, first served). Breen's book will be available for purchase.

Author T. H. Breen explores how an American legal case provided the setting for the new nation to assert its political and cultural independence.

08/06/2026

Claim your “Hoos Cooking” apron today! Make a gift of $35 or more to the Promise of Democracy Fund and help UVA's Karsh Institute of Democracy serve up even more opportunities to strengthen democracy.

➡️ http://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/81488/donations/new?a=13485590&designation_id=23228&

08/05/2026

What does it mean to build a home for democracy?

It means creating a place where ideas are exchanged, difficult conversations are welcomed, and people come together to learn from one another.

It means designing spaces that encourage participation, curiosity, and collaboration.

The University of Virginia's new Karsh Institute of Democracy building is more than a place for research and teaching. It is an investment in the future of civic life at UVA and beyond.

Hear from the scholars, students, architects, and leaders who helped bring this vision to life.

08/04/2026

The Karsh Institute of Democracy and University of Virginia School of Law’s Karsh Center for Law and Democracy will host Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett in a conversation about her new book, “Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution,” on Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Culbreth Theatre. Registration for the event is open.

Barrett will be the third Supreme Court justice to visit UVA in a year.