Civic Solitude: Why Democracy Needs Distance

Joe Mathews, founder and columnist at Democracy Local, will interview Vanderbilt professor Robert B. Talisse about democracy.

The occasion is the publication of Talisse's new book, Civic Solitude: Why Democracy Needs Distance.

Civic Solitude is the third book in Talisse's acclaimed trilogy of books devoted to rethinking our relationship with democracy.

The first book, Overdoing Democracy: Why We Must Put Politics in Its Place (2019), examined the ways that democratic politics had extended into many venues of life, alienating us from each other.

The second book: Sustaining Democracy: What We Owe to the Other Side (2021), demonstrated how when we stop talking to our democratic opponents, we end up fighting with our friends.

Civic Solitude shows how democracy is about more than engagement and shared action. Democracy requires reflection, and time alone.

This event is free and open to the public. Books will be on sale, and the author will sign copies.

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