Civil Discourse symposium to promote meaningful dialogue and engagement within the community

The Civil Discourse Symposium offers a unique opportunity for the UC community to come together for meaningful conversations about sharing ideas, bridging worldviews, and promoting civil engagement both within the College of Law and the wider Cincinnati legal community. The symposium will be held in Friday, February 28, 2025 at 8:00 am in Room 160 at the College of Law.  Registration is appreciated.

The event will feature distinguished speakers, including Professor Akhil Amar from Yale Law School and Professor Shaakirrah R. Sanders from Penn State Dickinson Law. These legal experts will discuss the importance of robust civil discourse, exploring current barriers to effective dialogue, strategies for compassionate engagement, and the essential role of civil discourse in shaping legal professionals who can make a positive impact in their communities.

Schedule of Events

Doors open at 8:15 AM.

  • 8:45 AM:                     Welcome + Opening Remarks: Dean Haider Ala Hamoudi,                                     "The Value of Reason and Its Importance to Civil Discourse"
  • 9:00-9:55 AM:            Session 1: Professor Shaakirrah R. Sanders,  "The Causes and                                     Effects of the Decline of Civil Discourse"
  • 10:10-11:10 AM:        Session 2:  Panel Discussion on "Reconnecting: How to Have                                             Difficult Conversations in Law School"
  • 11:15 AM-12:15PM:   Session 3:   Professor Akhil Amar, Keynote Address about                                     "The Importance of Civil Discourse"

About the Featured Participants

Professor Akhil Amar, Yale University

Professor Akhil Reed Amar

Akhil Reed Amar is Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, where he teaches constitutional law in both Yale College and Yale Law School. Amar’s work has won awards from both the American Bar Association and the Federalist Society, and he has been cited by Supreme Court justices across the spectrum in more than four dozen cases — tops among non-emeritus scholars. He regularly testifies before Congress at the invitation of both parties; and in surveys of judicial citations and/or scholarly citations, he typically ranks among America’s five most-cited mid-career legal scholars. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has written widely for popular publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Time, and The Atlantic. He was an informal consultant to the popular TV show The West Wing and his scholarship has been showcased on many broadcasts, including The Colbert Report, Morning Joe, AC360, 11th Hour with Brian Williams, Fox News @ Night with Shannon Bream, Fareed Zakaria GPS, Erin Burnett Outfront, and Constitution USA with Peter Sagal.

Professor Shaakirrah R. Sanders, Penn State Dickinson Law

Professor Shaakirrah Sanders

Shaakirrah R. Sanders serves as Associate Dean for Antiracism and Critical Pedagogy, as the Lewis H. Vovakis Distinguished Faculty Scholar, as Professor of Law. She teaches Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, and the First Amendment. Professor Sanders is a contributor for SCOTUSblog and has appeared on international and national broadcasts and publications, including MSNBC, CBC News, NBC News NOW, NEWSNATION, Scripps News, New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, BuzzFeed, Glamour Magazine, YahooNews!, NPR, and NPR’s All Things Considered. Her scholarship relates to felony sentencing reform, civil and criminal jury trial rights, and commercial privacy and has been published in Cornell Law Review, Wake Forest Law Review, Irvine Law Review, Washington and Lee Law Review, Michigan Journal of Law Reform, Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, and Hastings Law Journal among other publications. She also contributed commentary for edited collections, including Feminist Judgments: Rewritten Opinions of the United States Supreme Court; Feminist Judgments: Rewritten Torts Opinions; The Contested Place of Religion in Family Law; and Mass Communication Law in Idaho.

Learn more about the featured speakers, see the schedule of events, and register to attend:  Civil Discourse Symposium

Thanks to the following event supporters: the UC College of Law, the Portman Center for Policy Solutions, the Federalist Society, the American Constitution Society, and Professor Christopher Bryant.

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