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By Sarah Matarella

On Oct. 13, 2022, a roundtable session entitled "Fragile Democracy” was held on Alvernia’s Reading campus in the Bernardine Lecture Hall. Travis Berger, dean of the College of Business, Communication, and Leadership moderated the conversation with Dr. Kevin Donnelly, associate professor of history, and Dr. Nicholas Nicoletti and Dr. Victoria Williams, associate professors of political science serving as panelists.

Q: What was the overarching goal of the roundtable?

Williams: In general, we focused on the current state of democracy in America, what makes democratic forms of government unique and important, and what characteristics democratic governments share.  We looked at recent challenges to our democracy, including the Jan. 6 insurrection, and examined how midterm campaigns have been shaped by those challenges. Fundamentally, we asked whether a country can be democratic if its institutions cease being representative, if its politics and laws are being shaped dramatically by 9 unelected members of the Supreme Court, and if the people and leaders constantly question election results and people believe elections are rigged and unfair.

Q: How does a fragile democracy affect Alvernia?

Berger: “As liberal democracies and social institutions are being threatened throughout the world, and as movements toward populism, nationalism, and autocracies increase, we have a responsibility to explore, examine, and discuss this current reality. We need experts to share their insights from different perspectives to help inform our thinking and understanding, to help us appreciate the consequential times that we are living, and to inspire us to action. As Franciscan Father Daniel Horan shared in an article in the National Catholic reporter titled, ‘What Catholic Colleges and Universities Can Learn from Pope Francis,’ he states that ‘Catholic educational institutions should not shy away and avoid disagreement, but take a bold, balanced, and thoughtful position rooted not only in the important value of academic freedom and constructive dialogue, but also in their mission precisely as Catholic institutions, which seek to pursue knowledge, truth and justice. The intellectual and practical resources of the university shouldn't be reserved for academics alone but shared with the broader community.’ We embraced our responsibility by hosting this discussion.”

Q: Why does it make sense to host this discussion on Alvernia’s campus?

Jacob-Paul Taylor ‘22, MBA student: Especially within today's social climate, it is imperative to engage in difficult, yet meaningful discussion about the nation's democracy. As we headed into a consequential midterm election and competitive Presidential campaign period, the foundational pillars of democracy, especially the unrestricted freedom to cast a vote, must be intact. The Fragile Democracy Discussion beautifully complemented Alvernia's commitment to forming worldly aware and ethically trained leaders; there is no better place to discuss the nation's political climate than an institution of higher education rooted in the Franciscan tradition. Certainly, the event demonstrated there is immense work to be done; however, the first step in exciting change is talking about it, which is exactly the platform the discussion provided. I think the event offered a glimpse into the often complex and intricate, but immensely important balancing of democratic ideals both domestically and internationally. It effectively integrated student perspectives with those of area experts and produced an engaging and thought-provoking period of reflection, discussion, and aspirations for change."

Q: How has American democracy become more vulnerable in recent decades?

Nicoletti: “The Supreme Court rolled back vital elements of the 1965 Civil Rights Act protecting the franchise. Voter ID laws have further weakened the franchise under the false guise of safeguarding elections. Partisan gerrymandering has attempted to pack and crack House districts to solidify institutional power. Campaign finance has seen the rise of Super PACs and unlimited spending by corporations and labor unions via the Supreme Court's Citizens United (2010) decision. And most recently, the fundamental legitimacy of the American electoral process was disingenuously questioned by a President seeking to hold political power, leading to the Jan. 6, 2020, insurrection. In subsequent years, American institutions like the Electoral College have come under increased attack, with proposed changes to electors' selection at the state level.”

Q: How can democratic backsliding as a result of various threats to American institutions be prevented?

Nicoletti: “Since the inception of the American Republic under the current Constitution, a struggle to strengthen democratic institutions and expand suffrage has continually evolved. The United States has gone from only allowing property-owning individuals to vote in most states to universal suffrage with the passage of the 26th Amendment in 1971. The process was long and hard-fought, with the African American and Women's Civil Rights movements as primary examples of groups fighting to expand the vote and reject disenfranchisement.”

Q: What is an example of a historical parallel to previous perilous times for democracy?

Donnelly: “Liberal democracy as a whole has been facing a number of challenges across the globe in recent decades. There are many famous world historical examples from the Fall of the Roman Republic to the rise of Nazism in Germany as well as comparative examples in Europe.“

Q: What did the campus community gain from this roundtable?

Julia Davis, history major: “The Fragile Democracy roundtable was a great event that gave students insight into the political, governmental, and historical aspects of democracy. The panel shared keen political observations and discussed that state of America’s democracy. My favorite part of the event was the Q & A discussion because it opened up the conversation to various points of view. The event was a great opportunity to bring citizens together to discuss their ideals.”