Public Square
Welcome to the Public Square, a place where ideas are shared, discussed, and tested. The name harkens back to colonial America—to village squares echoing with the sounds of popular debate and to the feisty pamphlets and upstart newspapers where productive conversation and argumentation thrived and heralded the rise of a new, confident nation built on ideas and imagination.
What is the History of the Public Square?
The concept of the public square has a long and rich history, tracing its roots back to ancient civilizations such as Greece and Rome. In these societies, the public square served as a central gathering place where citizens could come together to discuss politics, exchange ideas, and engage in commerce. In colonial America, public squares…
“Beyond the Public Square: Imagining Digital Democracy”
The Yale Law Journal article “Beyond the Public Square: Imagining Digital Democracy” considers the public square’s modern form and how we can best design a 21st-century public square that improves upon the physical varieties that preceded it.
What is Civil Discourse?
Civil discourse is not simply polite conversation, though courtesy and respect are crucial to it. Civil discourse goes beyond politeness. It is conversation with purpose—that is, constructive dialogue. Though they may disagree, participants in civil discourse are committed to hearing each other’s fact-based opinions and dispassionately evaluating those opinions against their own. Participants enter into…