"As members of a pluralistic community who strive to practice civil discourse, we shouldn’t shy away from conversations just because they’re difficult"
Alec Gallimore, Duke Provost
The Civil Discourse Project
The Civil Discourse Project (CDP) sponsors courses, events, and scholarship that promote civil discourse through modeling or teaching the capacities and virtues necessary to engage in healthy exchange across difference. At CDP, we aim to create, both inside and outside the classroom, intellectually diverse communities of friends who will both support and challenge in a collective pursuit of truth and knowledge—enabling all to become better thinkers, people, community members, citizens, and leaders. We maintain that such community requires freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression for faculty and students alike.
Spring 2026 Courses
Events
Civil Discourse Roundtables
The Civil Discourse Project’s roundtables foster meaningful conversation among Duke students, faculty, and staff by creating space for engagement across ideological divides. Each session focuses on a distinct and often polarizing public policy issue, or offers an opportunity to reflect collectively on major developments in the national landscape. Participants are invited to share viewpoints, listen actively, ask questions, and explore the values and assumptions that shape public opinion. The goal of each session is not to debate winners and losers, but to emphasize respectful dialogue and free inquiry.
Foundations Seminars
Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Chris Coome leads a series of book seminars that introduce students to the ideas and philosophies that have shaped modern politics.
People
Peter Feaver | Interim Co-Director | pfeaver@duke.edu
Noah Pickus | Interim Co-Director | pickus@duke.edu
Meg Bittle | Assistant Director | meg.bittle@duke.edu
Chris Coome | Postdoctoral Associate | christopher.coome@duke.edu
Quazha Nettles | Administrative Assistant | jacquazha.nettles@duke.edu
In the News
Videos
The Future of Liberalism
with Chandran Kukatas, Emily Chamlee-Wright, Stephen Davies, and Steve Horwitz
The Future of Conservatism
with Patrick Deneen, Yuval Levin, Daniel McCarthy, and Ashleen Menchaca-Bagnulo
The Future of Progressivism
with Justin Giboney, Jillian Johnson, Michael Kazin, and Dan Vermeer
Support
The Civil Discourse Project relies on the support of Duke alums, parents, and friends. For more information about how you can help support CDP, contact Assistant Director Meg Bittle at meg.bittle@duke.edu.