2019 has just begun and IF has been working with new partners and organizing a new kind of public discussion series. In January IF partnered with Culture Saves and D.C. Public Libraries to bring live music performances and conversations about the future of the arts and society to the public. In this winter series, violinist … Read more »
arts, discussion, Music
How might museums engage their visitors in dialogue and deliberation surrounding the content of their exhibits? This is a question that IF has been exploring in very real terms with the National Building Museum in Washington DC. IF Vice President Jeff Prudhomme has been partnering with educational staff at the Museum to develop discussion experiences … Read more »
conversations, dialogue, National Building Museum, Washingtion DC
With the successful Chicago municipal election project receding in the rear view mirror, EnCiv has its sights set on the next stage in its development: a thorough experimental program to test the various tools that will make up an integrated civic prototype to present to potential funders. The testing program is likely to receive a big … Read more »
Civic, EnCiv, La Crosse
It has been fairly common for discussions of gun safety and gun violence to take place in the wake of horrible tragedies. For years the opponents of greater gun regulation (at least the mobilized portions of the pro-gun lobby) would respond to calls societal dialogue on gun issues with the rejoinder, “it’s too soon”. They … Read more »
guns, regulations, safety
IF Fellow Natalie Hopkinson’s book, A Mouth is Always Muzzled: Six Dissidents, Five Continents and the Art of Resistance was longlisted for PEN America’s 2019 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award. Hopkinson was one of ten semi-finalists honored in a category for books that “exemplifies the dignity and esteem that the essay form imparts to literature.” Muzzled originated in … Read more »
A Mouth is Always Muzzled, PEN American Award
Please join us for music performances on violin and cello and participate in facilitated roundtable discussions about the future of the arts and society.
On what was literally the darkest day of 2018, the winter solstice, IF completed its work on a project that will cast a great deal of light on Chicago’s 2019 municipal election, slated for February 26. The ultimate purpose of the project, begun in August of this year, was to enhance the electoral coverage provided … Read more »
Ballotpedia, Chicago, elections
IF’s Democratic Promise guidebook has been discussed a number of times since its initial publication. Interest in the subject seems to somewhat track the election cycle and concerns about election process and practice features that are seen as shaping election results: Electoral College, gerrymandering, voter suppression, etc. This guidebook has, perhaps, generated more disparate reactions—both … Read more »
Civics, education, Politics
