Columbia Journalism School Dissects the Fractures of American Democracy Uniting Leading Activists, Reporters and Scholars

Conceptualized by Dr. Jelani Cobb, the FaultLines: Democracy conference will analyze the threats to our nation's democracy and their impact on American journalism 

NEW YORK, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FaultLines: Democracy will be held at Columbia Journalism School in conjunction with Columbia Journalism Review from April 25th - April 26th to discuss the current condition of the American democratic system and our nation's free press. The event will bring together some of the most prominent luminaries to host thought-provoking panels merging journalism, public policy, academia and politics to confront the impending threats to the First Amendment.

FaultLines: Democracy was created to address the assaults on American democracy over the last couple of years, from the mobilization of white supremacists in Charlottesville and the Capitol Hill insurrection to the sensationalist media coverage of Donald Trump's indictment. These events have undoubtedly shaken the nation's democratic core, which is inextricably linked to the state of American journalism. This conference will launch a conversation on developing solutions to protect the free press and informing future best practices in journalism.

"We are honored to gather such a diverse group of thinkers to explore the intersection of the free press and democracy," said Dr. Jelani Cobb, dean of Columbia Journalism School. "In recent years, we've witnessed a barrage of attacks on the foundation of our society, which inevitably unravels the safeguards surrounding the First Amendment. My hope is that this conference will initiate conversations about protecting the power of American journalism for future generations and secure the democratic practices that hold our nation together."

The conference will feature unique panels portraying the nuances of the current challenges facing democracy and its relation to the free press, including "America 2030," "Democracy and the World" and "Democracy Town Hall" with guests including Alessandra Galloni, editor-in-chief of Reuters; Sally Buzbee, executive editor of The Washington Post; Graciela Mochkofsky, dean of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY; and Annette Gordon-Reed, Carl M. Loeb University professor of history, faculty of arts and sciences at Harvard University. FaultLines: Democracy is free for the public to attend. Guests can RSVP and view the full agenda here.

At Columbia Journalism School, Dr. Cobb and Columbia faculty seek to educate a new generation of journalists and initiate discussions among media professionals to continually shape the parameters of modern journalism. FaultLines: Democracy is one of many projects led by the school to bring together members of the community to rethink the field of reporting.

For media inquiries regarding FaultLines: Democracy, please contact Lisa Burkert at 917-929-0123 or [email protected].

About FaultLines: Democracy:
FaultLines: Democracy is a project led by the Columbia Journalism School, in conjunction with the Columbia Journalism Review, that unites journalism, public policy, academia and politics to confront threats to the First Amendment, the bulwark for democracy in America. The Fourth Estate is facing debilitating crises such as declining revenues, diminished public trust, a shrinking labor force and the emergence of a sophisticated disinformation ecosystem which has weakened its ability to convince Americans of basic facts. This is exacerbated by a recent barrage of attacks on our democracy including the murderous mass mobilization of violent white supremacists in Charlottesville and attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election during the January 6 insurrection of Capitol Hill. FaultLines will formally kick off in April 2023 with a two-day conference providing not only a forum for information-sharing but also coordinating best practices for the institutions and individuals tasked with upholding democracy.

SOURCE Columbia Journalism School