The Burton K. Wheeler Center at Montana State University presented a day-long conference, “Divisiveness in Democracy: Enhancing Engagement in Montana,” about the changing political dynamics in Montana and the United States, held September 9-10, 2016. The conference explored the historical, political and social dynamics that drive divisiveness, and drew on up-and-coming politicians and political activists to identify opportunities and mechanisms to overcome divisiveness in contemporary politics.

Ted Celeste delivered the opening talk, entitled “Revive Civility: Our Democracy Depends on It.” Celeste, a former Ohio state representative, leads Next Generation, a project of the National Institute for Civil Discourse which holds workshops for state legislators called “Building Trust Through Civil Discourse”.

Conference Agenda:
Panel I. “How Did We Get Here: The Social, Political and Historical Elements of Divisiveness”
Panel II. “Finding Ways Forward: A Conversation with the Next Generation of Politicians and Activists”
Keynote Lecture: Pat Williams