Civic Discourse is a new initiative sponsored by The Boston Athenæum and Suffolk University. The institutions will jointly present a series of programs each year, devoted to a topic of national significance. The inaugural series will focus on Media and Democracy and will include lectures, panel discussions and films. Events are free and open to the public by advance reservation and will take place at the Boston Athenæum and on Suffolk University’s Beacon Hill campus.

“With the civic discourse initiative, our goal is to reactivate the role of the Boston Athenæum as an institution in which the most pressing issues of the day would find a full and intelligent hearing,” said Stanford Calderwood Director and Librarian Richard Wendorf. “We would like to make the Boston Athenæum synonymous not only with our collections and programming in the humanities, but also with the discussion of important political, social and scientific concerns. We are very fortunate to have been able to forge a relationship with the College of Arts and Sciences at Suffolk University, a major institutional presence in our neighborhood.”

Kenneth S. Greenberg, Dean of Suffolk University’s College of Arts and Sciences, said: “Our goal with the civic discourse initiative is to treat significant – and significantly complex – issues as thoroughly as possible and from a variety of perspectives. We believe the topic Media and Democracy will provide great resonance following the recent national elections. In addition to talks by leading national political and media figures, the series will feature many of Suffolk’s faculty members, particularly professors in the Communication and Journalism Department.”

Funding for the Civic Discourse Initiative has been provided by the Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Programming Fund at the Boston Athenæum and by Suffolk University’s College of Arts and Sciences.