Center for the Study of American Democracy

Kenyon always has prided itself on a dedication to exploring the issues of the day, no matter how controversial, through deliberative inquiry and civil, probing conversation. Drawing on this tradition, the Center for the Study of American Democracy seeks open dialogue toward a subtle understanding of history, timeless questions and fundamental principles.

Located in Oden Hall, the center organizes conferences, lectures and seminars with the goal of stimulating nonpartisan civic and political discourse. The center also provides teaching and research opportunities for faculty and students and promotes student internships in Washington, D.C. Established in 2007, the center was funded through a “We the People” Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

What We Are Reading

CSAD staff and student associates share their favorite books about democracy, politics and political theory.

Read Book Reviews

Under the Hood of a Knox County Election

CSAD Student Associates Joseph Ferrari '24 and Andrew Nguyen '23 analyzed the November 2022 local elections.

Read the Article

Sparking Conversation

CSAD's biennial conferences and other events bring the Kenyon community together with national experts to analyze the pressing issues of today — no matter how controversial — through nonpartisan and civil discourse.

Adam Tooze, the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of History at Columbia University discusses inflation, politics and policy at the 2023 conference, which focused on inflation's causes, consequences and cures.

Panelists including Matt Winkler ‘77, co-founder and editor-in-chief emeritus of Bloomberg News, Rakeen Mabud, chief economist and managing director of policy and research at the Groundwork Collaborative and Steven B. Kamin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) discuss the reality of contemporary inflation.

CSAD programming gives students the opportunity to attend events and pose questions to leading experts about pressing local, national and global issues.

Students meet with General Michael Hayden, former director of the National Security Agency, during CSAD's “Hill to Hill” event in Washington, D.C.

Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at the Groundwork Collaborative, shares her expertise during a panel discussion about the reality of contemporary inflation.

A Virtual Hill to Hill Panel Series

Kenyon grads working in politics, journalism, education and foreign service came together to explore a central question, "Is the American Experiment Still Viable?" Watch a two-minute recap of the series or follow the link below to learn more.