February 11, 2026
Political Science
Deliberation & Division Event Poster

 

Deliberation & Division: Making Change at The New England Town Meeting  A Symposium on the New England Town Meeting and Local Democracy

Wednesday, March 11, 2026. 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. Great Hall, Old Chapel, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Online

Join renowned scholars, attorneys, and local government practitioners from across New England and beyond to discuss the past, present, and future of the New England Town Meeting and local democracy. Our keynote is Dr. Jane Mansbridge of Harvard University (lunch included!). There will also be interactive case studies and panels to build skills on how to deliberate across division! Please email @email to RSVP.

Sawyer Rogers, a PhD Student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is the Principal Investigator of this grant. This event is hosted by the Political Science Department of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Funding is provided by the Chancellor’s Community, Democracy, and Dialogue (CDD) working group. The CDD has been created to promote dialogue, academic inquiry, and respect for difference in addressing challenging topics. These are forms of engagement central to higher education and a thriving democracy.