Democratic Texts Initiative Event | Wednesday, October 7, 2026
The UChicago Democratic Texts Initiative (DTI) is an interdisciplinary research initiative at the University of Chicago dedicated to making the foundational texts of democracy more accessible, understandable, and relevant to modern audiences. In the inaugural year the focus is on key texts in the foundation of American democracy. One event per quarter will be held, focused on brief but pathbreaking documents, shaping both American and global democracy.
The first event will be a panel discussing the Declaration of Independence, why it was written, its immediate consequences, and its enduring significance.
Speakers include:
Steve Inskeep- Host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “Up First” podcast
Alison LaCroix- Robert Newton Reid Professor of Law, University of Chicago
Eric Slauter- Associate Professor of English and Deputy Dean of the Humanities, University of Chicago
Steven Pincus- Thomas E. Connelly Professor of British History, University of Chicago
The discussion will be moderated by John Kirby, Director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, and former senior spokesman for the Pentagon, State Department, and White House
Organized by the Institutions Initiative, Chicago Center on Democracy, Institute of Politics, the College, Social Sciences Division, and International House.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
