In this edition of In Focus: The Gears of Democracy, we explore civic engagement, new technologies, and the role of the media in elections. Voices from across the Aspen Institute share better ways to argue, be informed, and serve the country. Plus – FDA Commissioners give insights into the COVID-19 vaccine development process with Aspen Ideas: Health.

An increasing number of Americans say it is stressful or frustrating to talk about politics with people who disagree with them. Should we stop talking about politics at all? No, says the Better Arguments Project. We don’t need fewer arguments, we need arguments that seek to learn and expand knowledge rather than to ‘win’ or convince others.

Last week’s Aspen Ideas: Show Up brought together athletes, youth, musicians, tribal leaders, and many more, all addressing the power of active citizenship and its role in this unique election year. Its features included a short, animated video on ways to get engaged, despite the pandemic, rap artist YelloPain on his hit song “My Vote Don’t Count,” and Olympic gold medal-winning goalkeeper Hope Solo discussing pay equity in women’s sports.

There’s a growing realization that the complexity of this year’s electoral landscape may mean that some of the biggest election drama could play out in the hours and days after November 3. In the Columbia Journalism Review, Aspen Digital’s Garrett Graff and Vivian Schiller shared principles media organizations should keep in mind as they plan their election night coverage.

A well-informed electorate is key to a healthy, thriving democracy. But information doesn’t just have to come from dusty history books. Novels and memoirs also can illuminate the ways that our systems work—and don’t work—for everyday Americans. Check out a new list of recommended reading from Aspen Words.

As the US faces an unprecedented set of crises—pandemic, recession, racial injustice—Americans must answer these challenges with bold measures. The Aspen Strategy Group believes a new national service mission should be part of that response. National service would offer life-shaping experiences for young Americans of all backgrounds that would unite us, expand economic opportunity, and help our country recover.

Faith leaders hold a unique role as the sole source of trusted information in some communities. They have the social capital and relationships to ensure that “Get Out the Vote” campaigns are successful, that election results are seen as valid by their community, and that every individual who wishes to vote knows how to do so. In this piece, the Inclusive America Project shared faith-based tools and resources to ensure a fair and safe election.

Imagine a future where voting could be as easy as sending a text. Central America Leadership Initiative fellow Jorge Garcia is making that a reality. The Aspen Global Leadership Network speaks with this tech innovator and entrepreneur who is working on a new venture called Ballotted, a simple, secure, fully auditable, and legally defensible e-voting platform that people can trust.

In this Society of Fellows event, Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University, and Meg Jacobs, senior research scholar at Princeton University, spoke with The New Yorker’s Jelani Cobb about contentious elections and other significant moments of political conflict in US history. See highlights from this session here, or learn more about becoming a member of the Society of Fellows to watch this event in full and attend more like it in the future.

As the deaths from COVID-19 continue to mount, it is ever more pressing to have safe and effective vaccines. Obama Administration FDA Commissioner Dr. Peggy Hamburg and current FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn joined Aspen Ideas: Health to discuss the process of vaccine development, authorization, or approval.

Unfinished Live

Premiered October 27 & continues November 10

This fall, we partnered with Unfinished, a new impact network devoted to advancing powerful solutions to the most critical challenges of our time. Join us for Unfinished Live, a series of interactive shows with interviews, art, videos, stories, and performances as we imagine, amid chaos and uncertainty, what’s possible now? Register.

Global Inclusive Recovery and Rebuilding Series, part of the Aspen Institute and Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth’s Global Inclusive Growth Partnership. Watch today’s session on equitable distribution of vaccines and register for the third event in the series on November 19 at 10 am ET. It will explore inclusive investing and the question of whether fiduciaries are acting on behalf of beneficiaries in their decision-making.

Domestic and International (Dis)Order: A Strategic Response

October 29, 10 - 11:30 am ET

Join the Aspen Strategy Group for the release of the latest volume in their book series addressing the most pressing foreign policy challenges facing the United States.

Conversations on Food Justice

October 29, 2 - 3 pm ET

The kick off event in a new, year-round series, Conversations on Food Justice, with the Food & Society Program and Share Our Strength, focuses on the radical origins of the free school breakfast initiative.

Aspen Words Book Ball

October 29, 8 - 8:45 pm ET

The fundraiser features international best-selling author and podcast host Cheryl Strayed, plus brief remarks by writers Jericho Brown, Tayari Jones, Christy Lefteri, and Luis Alberto Urrea. Buy your tickets here.

In Focus is a new multimedia series from the Aspen Institute that brings clear, diverse perspectives to the challenges shaping our society during a historic period of change and uncertainty. This series unites the Aspen Institute’s leading policy experts with our networks that span grassroots organizers, CEOs, student activists, and national lawmakers. Together, we’re showcasing new ideas, untold stories, and bringing the issues behind the headlines into focus.

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