12:30-1:30

On October 6, we’re looking at The Declaration of Independence after 250 years. Dr. Brandon Inabinet will present his recent work: “Borrowing Trouble? The Declaration’s Threshold of Suffering and Care” (published as Chapter 15 in Mary Stuckey’s recently released title: Used, Abused, and Sidelined: Debating the Declaration (2025).

The Declaration of Independence, like Twisted Sister, tells us that “we’re not gonna take it anymore,” and the “it” is expansive. This end of toleration spans not just the couple of dozen listed slights against King George III. The text goes further to imagine the breaking of a universal standard, of Anglo-American “natural rights.” And further, as explored in this analysis, the text indicts the lack of compassion for colonists’ suffering. Boundaries of acceptable suffering are a key aspect of revolutionary political texts. These thresholds can be real, but quite often they may be borrowed from other marginalized or maligned communities.

5-6pm

In this session, Professor Teresa Cosby will examine the separation of powers as a defining feature of American democracy. She will explore whether the distribution of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches continues to safeguard democratic principles, highlighting different arguments in current debates about the effectiveness of these guardrails today. Following her presentation, students will participate in structured small-group discussions, offering an opportunity to reflect on the material, share diverse viewpoints, and connect the topic to their roles as civic participants.

5-6pm

Across higher education, colleges and universities are wrestling with what AI means for society, campus communities, work, and life. As in the wider world, faculty and staff are not in agreement on what AI represents, whether it is good or bad, how or whether it should be used, what principles and practices should govern its ethical use and what it promises and risks are.

This program brings together a panel of Furman faculty and staff who represent a mix of AI skeptics, enthusiasts, and voices in between, so that attendees can engage with a wide range of perspectives on the big questions we should be asking as AI becomes more pervasive in society and university life.

5-6pm

Democracy is not just shaped in Washington, DC; it is built every day in our cities, counties, and state capitals. In this session, a panel of local and state leaders will discuss how government decisions at these levels impact daily life, from education and transportation to public health and community growth. They will explore the challenges of fostering democratic participation close to home and share strategies for how students can play an active role in shaping their communities. Following the panel conversation, students will engage in structured small-group discussions to reflect on the material, share diverse viewpoints, and connect the topic to their own civic roles.

5-6pm

In this session, Dr. Jim Guth will analyze the role of the president throughout U.S. history, showing how past struggles over executive power inform today’s debates about presidential authority. Drawing on competing theories about the scope and limits of executive power, he will highlight how these perspectives shed light on the presidency’s role in sustaining a healthy democracy. Following his presentation, students will participate in structured small-group discussions, offering an opportunity to reflect on the material, share diverse viewpoints, and connect the topic to their roles as civic participants. This event is part of the On Discourse Initiative’s Democracy Teaching Series, which provides programs designed to help students and the campus community deepen their understanding of democracy in the United States. The series addresses documented gaps in civic knowledge and is grounded in academic inquiry and open dialogue.