Active Citizenship and Our Democratic Future: A Conversation Between the Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown and Robert Putnam

Event details Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 Time: 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM Location: USC Capital Campus - Auditorium - 1771 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 Cost: Free Type: Lecture / Talk / Workshop, Conference/Symposia, Event Highlights Campus: Capital Campus Department: Price School of Public Policy, USC Schaeffer Center Audience: Students, Alumni, Faculty/Staff About this event Register Here > People have fewer friends, join fewer clubs and volunteer less compared to previous generations. Growing isolation contributes to political polarization and social distrust, weakening democracies worldwide. On September 23, political scientist Robert Putnam joins former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, chair of the Center for Civic Society at the USC Schaeffer Institute, for a conversation about how to rebuild the social and community bonds that support healthy democracies. More than 25 years after his influential book Bowling Alone captured the stark consequences of America’s fraying social fabric, Putnam will draw on research from his most recent book, The Upswing, to explore how communities and civic institutions can overcome deep societal divisions to foster connection. Brown will share insights from his decades of global leadership to connect the research to policy and practice. This event is hosted by the Center for Civic Society at the USC Schaeffer Institute and the Center for the Political Future at USC Dornsife. PROGRAM 10:30am|Check-in and Refreshments10:45am|Opening RemarksAnna Saavedra, Director, Center for Civic Society; Scholar, USC Schaeffer Institute11:00am|Fireside Chat Robert Putnam, Malkin Professor of Public Policy, Emeritus, Harvard Kennedy School; Author, The Upswing, Bowling AloneIn conversation with: The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Steel Chair, Center for Civic Society, USC Schaeffer Institute11:50am|Closing RemarksDana Goldman, Founding Director, USC Schaeffer Institute Official event details: https://calendar.usc.edu/event/active-citizenship-and-our-democratic-future-a-conversation-between-the-rt-hon-gordon-brown-and-robert-putnam