CHARLEMONT — Keeping public discourse and democracy alive — despite political and religious divides — is the topic of the first of two programs this year to be offered by the Charlemont Forum, on July 16 and 31, held at the Federated Church of Charlemont.
The first program, on July 16, is called “Public Discourse: Bridging Political and Religious Divides.” It features two speakers: Marlboro College professor of religious studies Amer Latif; and Meg Mott, a former court advocate and a researcher on restorative justice practices.
Pakistan-born Latif has been professor of religious studies at Marlboro College since 2003 and his research focuses mainly on Islamic mystical texts and practices. He is interested in issues regarding cultural translation. He is working on two books: “Only God is Good: Islam in the Words of Jesus,” and “Reading the Qur’an with Rumi.”
Mott, the granddaughter of Archibald MacLeish, became interested in political theory while working as a court advocate for a battered women’s shelter during the Clinton administration. Despite political gains from such legislation as the Violence Against Women Act, Mott believes dependence on the criminal justice system has not always served victims. She is researching how restorative practices might address the harms created by sexual violence. Her opinion pieces have appeared in the Washington Post, among other publications.
MacLeish was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, a playwright and also a congressional librarian who lived in Conway. Mott spent many summers in Conway with grandparents, “who taught her that words matter and that republics are surprisingly fragile,” according to organizers of the event.
On July 31, “Reclaiming American Democracy” is the topic at hand. The discussion will include ways that state and local reform efforts are looking to fix what many regard as political polarization, gridlock and dysfunction in our country.
Josh Silver is the founder/director of “Represent Us,” a national nonpartisan and nonprofit organization to address campaign finance and election reforms. He is a veteran election and media reform executive. He was the campaign manager for the successful 1998 Arizona Clean Elections ballot initiative, and is the co-founder and former CEO of Free Press, a leading media and technology reform advocacy organization. Silver has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal and featured in outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek, NPR, and CBS Sunday Morning.
Silver will discuss reform efforts and how a growing coalition of nonpartisan organizations is bringing together grassroots conservatives and progressives to pass these reforms. He will discuss the emerging “post-partisan” movement to reclaim American democracy.
Both programs start at 7 p.m. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.
The Charlemont Federated Church is on Route 2, just east of Route 8A in town center.