Common Ground
Cross-boundary dialogue on hot-button political issues

Next Event
March 27, 2023, 7 p.m.
“What Does Freedom Mean in Online Speech?” features two experts who will examine the issue of online speech from different perspectives. David Brody is the Managing Attorney of the Digital Justice Initiative. Its mission is to secure equal justice for all through the rule of law. Shoshana Weissmann is the Digital Director at R Street, the leading think tank engaged in policy research in support of free markets and limited, effective government. Professor of Government Rob Martin will moderate.
“The goal is for the speakers to model the kind of respectful dialogue across political boundaries that should occur not just on college campuses, but in the broader society as well. With capable speakers on both sides of a given issue, each willing to acknowledge strengths in the position of the other speaker, we aim to encourage students and other audience members to question their own assumptions and consider carefully the evidence and arguments supporting other viewpoints.

Previous Events

Common Ground Panel Discusses Privacy and Data Concerns
The Common Ground series returned to Hamilton on February 22 with a panel focusing on privacy. Panelists were Brad Weltman, director of privacy and public policy at Meta, and Jessica Rich, former director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and former head of the FTC’s division of privacy and identity theft. Their discussion was moderated by Stuart Ingis ’93, chair at the law firm Venable and co-chair to its eCommerce, privacy, and cybersecurity segment.

Russia-Ukraine War: “Cultivating Compassion Toward Adversaries”
Former foreign minister of Russia Andrei Kozyrev and University of Rhode Island scholar Nicolai Petro discussed the war in Ukraine with Professor of Government Alan Cafruny on Nov. 15.

Author Max Boot Discusses Ukraine War in Common Ground Lecture
Author, foreign policy expert, and Washington Post columnist Max Boot joined Professors Ty Seidule and Maurice Isserman to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine on Oct. 25.

Common Ground: Income Inequality Causes, Consequences, Response
Christina Romer, a professor of economics at University of California, Berkeley, and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under the Obama administration, engaged in a dialogue with Greg Mankiw, a Harvard University professor of economics and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush.
Photo Gallery
Condoleezza Rice and Susan Rice





Jim Messina and Reince Priebus





Mike Dubke ’92 and Marc Elias ’90




David Axelrod and Karl Rove






