The Clough Center is pleased to announce that the Spring Symposium 2025, the flagship event of our program year, will be held on March 21–22. The event will focus on Envisioning Democratic Futures, the annual theme for the 2024–25 academic year. Register today on our website.
The Symposium will feature keynote addresses from two distinguished speakers:
- Brett McGurk, the White House’s former top Middle East negotiator, who played a key role in securing the 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, leading to the release of hostages. He will deliver a keynote address titled “A First-Hand Account of Democracy Promotion in the Middle East.”
- Philip H. Gordon, an American diplomat and international relations scholar, who served as Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris from March 21, 2022, to January 20, 2025. He will deliver a keynote address on “The Current State and Future of Democracy Worldwide.”
This exciting event promises engaging discussions on a variety of topics, including global democratic conditions, the impact of migration and refugees on democratic politics, and the role of AI in shaping democracy’s future.
A distinguished lineup of scholars will lead multiple panel discussions on the challenges facing constitutional democracy:
- March 21, 2025: Panels will explore the future of democracy in Europe, constitutional democracy in the U.S., and paths toward democracy in the Middle East.
- March 22, 2025: Discussions will focus on AI’s impact on the future of democracy, as well as the cultural and economic foundations of democratic governance.
The full schedule, including panel speakers, can be found below. The event is open to the public. Space is limited, so be sure to register today!
Schedule and Registration
| Friday, March 21, 2025 | 2101 Commonwealth Ave | Register to attend | |
|---|---|
| 1:30-1:45 pm | Introduction Jonathan Laurence (Clough Center Director, Boston College) |
| 1:45-3:00 pm | How democratic will Europe be tomorrow? Jytte Klausen (Brandeis University) Spencer Boyer (former State Department) Bryn Rosenfeld (Cornell University) Chair: Mary C. Murphy (Boston College) |
| 3:00-4:00 pm | Does the US face a constitutional crisis? Aziz Rana (Boston College) R. Shep Melnick (Boston College) Chair: Jonathan Laurence ( Clough Center) |
| 4:00-4:15 pm | Coffee Break |
| 4:15-5:15 pm | What paths for democracy in the Middle East? Marsin Alshamary (Boston College) Peter Krause (Boston College) Chair/Discussant: Kathleen Bailey (Boston College) |
| 5:15-6:30 pm | Keynote Address: The pitfalls of maximalist aims: A first-hand account of democracy promotion in the Middle East Brett McGurk (former White House special envoy) Discussant: Steven Simon ( Dartmouth College) |
| 6:30 pm | Adjourn |
| Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 2101 Commonwealth Ave | Register to attend | |
|---|---|
| 8:15-8:45 am | Breakfast |
| 8:45-9:45 am | How will artificial intelligence shape democracy? Nicholas Hayes-Mota (Santa Clara University) Anina Schwarzenbach ( University of Bern) Chair/Discussant: Michael Serazio (Boston College) |
| 9:45-11:00 am | What are the cultural and economic foundations of democracy? Paul Romer (Boston College) Robert Talisse (Vanderbilt University) Erzen Oncel (World Bank) Chair: Fernando Bizzarro (Boston College) |
| 11:00-11:15 am | Coffee Break |
| 11:15 am-12:30 pm | Keynote Address: The current state and future of democracy worldwide Philip H. Gordon (former National Security Advisor) Chair: Jonathan Laurence ( Clough Center) |
| 12:30-2:00 pm | Concluding Remarks | Luncheon |
| 2:00 pm | End of Symposium |
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