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Sphere Summit

2021 Sphere Summit: Teaching Civic Culture Together

Dates and Times
Location
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001
Featured Speakers
Alex Nowrasteh
Alex Nowrasteh

Director of Immigration Studies and the Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute

Clark Neily
Clark Neily

Senior Vice President for Legal Studies, Cato Institute

Ilya Shapiro
Ilya Shapiro

Director, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

John Samples
John Samples

Vice President, Cato Institute and Board Member, The Oversight Board

Jonathan Rauch headshot
Jonathan Rauch

Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

Marian L. Tupy
Marian L. Tupy

Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity

Michael Cannon
Michael Cannon

Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute

Michael D. Tanner
Michael D. Tanner

Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

Matthew Feeney
Matthew Feeney

Director, Project on Emerging Technologies, Cato Institute

Peter Goettler
Peter Goettler

President and CEO of the Cato Institute

Ryan Bourne
Ryan Bourne

R. Evan Scharf Chair for the Public Understanding of Economics, Cato Institute

Amy Swearer

Legal Fellow, Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Bonnie Moses

Upper School Social Science Teacher, Harpeth Hall

Caroline Fredrickson

Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice and visiting Georgetown Law Professor

Carrie Sheffield

Senior Policy Analyst, Independent Women’s Forum

Daniel Garza

President, The LIBRE Initiative

Darrel M. West

Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

David Trigaux

Program Director, Washington Urban Debate League

Ilan Wurman

Associate Professor, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University

Irshad Manji

Founder, Moral Courage College

Jane Coaston

Host of “The Argument,” New York Times

Jane Kamensky

Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History, Harvard University and Pforzheimer Foundation Director, Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Harvard Radcliffe Institute

Jonathan Cohn

Senior National Correspondent, HuffPost

Jonathan Haidt

Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership, Stern School of Business, New York University; and Cofounder, Heterodox Academy

Joseph Croker

Upper School English and Media Arts Teacher, Harpeth Hall

Michael A. Lewis

Professor, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, CUNY

Nadine Strossen
Nadine Strossen

Former President, American Civil Liberties Union; and John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita, New York Law School

Paul Carrese

Founding Director, School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Arizona State University

Partrice Onwuka

Director, Center for Economic Opportunity, Independent Women’s Forum

Rashawn Ray

David M. Rubenstein, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

Robert Litan

Non‐​Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; and Partner, Korein, Tillery

Samantha Hedges

Program Manager, Heterodox Academy

Sean Kinnard circle crop
Sean Kinnard

Psychology and AP World History Teacher, Yorktown High School

Silva Mathema

Associate Director for Policy, Center for American Progress

Somil Trivedi

Senior Staff Attorney, Criminal Law Reform Project, American Civil Liberties Union

Tom G. Palmer

Executive Vice President for International Programs, Atlas Network

Yascha Mounk

Associate Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University

About

The Cato Institute and the Sphere Education Initiatives are excited to announce the return of Sphere Summit for the Summer of 2021! Sphere Summit, a full‐​scholarship professional development program for grades 5–12 educators, will be offered both June 27–July 1 and July 25–July 29. The Summits will offer a hybrid experience, which will allow for both in‐​person and online attendance.

Program Schedule

Sunday, July 25
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REGISTRATION

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WELCOME RECEPTION

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WELCOME AND OPEN REMARKS

Peter Goettler
President and CEO, Cato Institute

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DINNER PROGRAM:
A conversation with Jane Coaston

Jane Coaston
Host of “The Argument,” New York Times

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DINNER

Monday, July 26
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BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING

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OPTIONAL DC EXCURSIONS WITH CATO STAFF

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WELCOME AND NETWORKING BREAKOUTS (ONLINE ATTENDEES)

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CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATION
Divided Politics, Divided Nation

Darrell M. West
Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

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POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Is Free Speech Being Chilled in the Classroom–and Beyond?


Jonathan Rauch
Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

Nadine Strossen
Former President, American Civil Liberties Union; and John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita, New York Law School

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BREAK

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APPLICATION WORKSHOP
Resolved: Debate Can Revolutionize Education and Help Save Our Democracy

Robert Litan
Non‐​Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; and Partner, Korein, Tillery

David Trigaux
Program Director, Washington Urban Debate League
Moderated by Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

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UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER
A Federal Right to Education?

Caroline Fredrickson
Distinguished Visitor from Practice, Georgetown Law; and Senior Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice

Ilya Shapiro
Director, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

Ilan Wurman
Associate Professor, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
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BREAK

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RECEPTION

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DINNER PROGRAM:
The Future of Democracy


Yascha Mounk
Associate Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University; and Founder, Persuasion

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DINNER

Tuesday, July 27
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BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

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LUNCH PROGRAM: POLICY DISCUSSION
Economics in One Virus

Ryan Bourne
R. Evan Scharf Chair for the Public Understanding of Economics, Cato Institute
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BREAK

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CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATION
What is Civil Society?

Tom G. Palmer
Executive Vice President for International Programs, Atlas Network
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HUMAN​PROGRESS​.ORG AND SPHERE RESOURCES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM

Sean Kinnard
Psychology and AP World History Teacher, Yorktown High School

Marian L. Tupy
Editor, Human​Progress​.org; and Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute
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BREAK

-

POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Has Immigration Weakened or Strengthened the United States?

Daniel Garza
President, The LIBRE Initiative

Silva Mathema
Associate Director for Policy, Center for American Progress

Alex Nowrasteh
Director of Immigration Studies and the Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute

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PUTTING “JUSTICE” BACK IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Clark Neily
Senior Vice President for Legal Studies, Cato Institute

Rashawn Ray
David M. Rubenstein, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

Amy Swearer
Legal Fellow, Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Somil Trivedi
Senior Staff Attorney, Criminal Law Reform Project, American Civil Liberties Union
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BREAK

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RECEPTION

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A CONVERSATION WITH IRSHAD MANJI

Irshad Manji
Director of Moral Courage, Let Grow
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DINNER

Wednesday, July 28
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BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

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LUNCH AND APPLICATION WORKSHOP

Video remarks by Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership, Stern School of Business, New York University; and Cofounder, Heterodox Academy

Application Workshop by Samantha Hedges, K‑12 Program Manager, Heterodox Academy
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APPLICATION WORKSHOP
Harpeth Hall: Starting the Center for Civic Engagement

Joseph Croker
Upper School English and Media Arts Teacher, Harpeth Hall

Bonnie Moses
Upper School Social Science Teacher, Harpeth Hall
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POLICY DISCUSSIONS
Educating for American Democracy

Paul Carrese
Founding Director, School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Arizona State University

Jane Kamensky
Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History, Harvard University and Pforzheimer Foundation Director, Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Harvard Radcliffe Institute
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POVERTY AND INEQUALITY: SOURCES AND SOLUTIONS

Michael A. Lewis
Professor, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, CUNY

Partrice Onwuka
Director, Center for Economic Opportunity, Independent Women’s Forum

Michael D. Tanner
Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
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BREAK

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THE HEALTHCARE DIVIDE

Michael Cannon
Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute

Jonathan Cohn
Senior National Correspondent, HuffPost

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SOCIAL MEDIA, FREE SPEECH, AND TECH POLICY

Matthew Feeney
Director, Project on Emerging Technologies, Cato Institute

John Samples
Vice President, Cato Institute

Carrie Sheffield
Senior Fellow, Independent Women’s Forum
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BREAK (in‐​person attendees)
SPHERE ON THE ROAD AND CLOSING REMARKS (online attendees)

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DINNER PROGRAM:
A Conversation with Members of Congress


U.S. Representative Lou Correa (D‑CA)
U.S. Representative Young Kim (R‑CA)
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DINNER

Thursday, July 29
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BRUNCH

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SPHERE IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE ROAD

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CLOSING REMARKS

Peter Goettler
President and CEO, Cato Institute