The McCourtney Institute for Democracy

05/28/2026

Please join us in congratulating Jenna Spinelle on being named a 2026-27 Visiting Fellow at SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University!

11-member cohort will bring fresh perspectives to the institute while exploring big questions about democracy, citizenship, and community

05/20/2026

On the season finale of the Democracy Works podcast, we tackle a topic that's been at the heart of many of our episodes: Is the best way to create change through individual action or structural reform? Our guests, Michael Brownstein and Dan Kelly, argue that it doesn't have to be an either/or question and offer suggestions for democracy reformers looking for a different approach.

Brownstein and Kelly are authors, with Alex Madva, of "Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change," out now from MIT Press.

Listen to the episode: https://democracyworks.simplecast.com/episodes/somebody-should-do-something

05/15/2026

Award-winning author and Brookings Senior Fellow Jonathan Rauch will present a virtual lecture on Christianity and democracy for the Centre County Chapter of the ACLU on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 p.m.

Join on Zoom (https://psu.zoom.us/j/98877658888) or attend in person at the University Baptist and Brethren Church, 411 S. Burrowes St., State College.

Drawing on philosophy, history, scripture, and today’s headlines, his inspirational talk reveals what Jesus and James Madison have in common and how, together, their teachings can help to heal our politics—and maybe Christianity, too.

05/13/2026

C-NET has been our recording partner for live events for many years. Congratulations to Cindy on her retirement!

“It’s been a great joy serving as C-NET’s executive director, I can say for certain that I will miss it.”

05/13/2026

Kudos to Democracy Works podcast co-host Cyanne Loyle on her recent TEDx talk about the practice of lawfware, or when the government uses its power to restrict rights and freedoms instead of protecting them.

What happens when governments stop using the law to protect their citizens, and starts using it to punish them instead? This practice, known as Lawfare, can ...

05/12/2026

Center for Democratic Deliberation Director Katya Haskins recently appeared on the Realms of Memory podcast to discuss the 2026 Oscar-winning documentary "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," which chronicles Putin’s efforts to militarize Russian youth through the school system following the start of the war in Ukraine. Haskins is a scholar of public memory in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

The challenge of any documentary director with a mission is to make the viewer care. What makes the 2026 Oscar award winning documentary Mr. Nobody Against P...

04/30/2026

Jim Piazza, Liberal Arts Professor of Political Science, has a new paper that finds political violence deters people from participating in civic and democratic activities. However, his research also shows that socially-cohesive neighborhoods are able to maintain civic engagement despite the threat of political violence. In Jim's words, "Neighborhoods matter!"

Read the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ssqu.70160

04/28/2026

Please join us in congratulating the 2026 Nevins Fellows! These students will spend the summer interning at democracy-focused organizations across the country:

Carolina Viera and Lily McAfee, interning at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress (CSPC)
Anna Buckner, interning at City of Austin
Madison White, interning at CivxNow
Aayush Bhagria and Rachel Polashenski, interning at New America's Political Reform Program
Lora Piper, interning at the Heathmere Center for Cultural Engagement
Cade Smith, interning at Convergence Center for Policy Resolution
Vivian Hattersley and Niko Butczynski, interning at National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation
Darrius Singh, interning at Urban Rural Action
Eric Best and Katrina Carter, interning at National Civic League

And, of course, a huge thank you to David Nevins for providing the support to make the fellowships possible!

04/20/2026

New on the Democracy Works podcast: McCourtney Institute for Democracy Managing Director Chris Beem talks with Julianna Pacheco, Professor and Chair of the University of Iowa Department of Political Science about her research on how political polarization impacts medical professionals and what that means for the future healthcare and democracy.

Listen to the episode: https://democracyworks.simplecast.com/episodes/pacheco

04/17/2026

We are thrilled to support the work of more than a dozen Penn State College of the Liberal Arts faculty and graduate students through our Research in Democracy Support Grants. Congratulations to this year's recipients!

Fourteen faculty and graduate students from across the College of the Liberal Arts will receive more than $60,000 in support from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Research in Democracy Support Grant program to advance their work on topics related to democracy.