Civil Society Initiative

Civil Society Initiative

The Civil Society Initiative is devoted to the theory and practice of responsible democratic citizenship

The Civil Society Initiative at Washington University in St. Louis promotes responsible democratic citizenship — which crucially includes the ability to reason about value questions and to engage with moral and political disagreement — by supporting research, teaching, and public engagement.  Universities have traditionally sought to educate their students for citizenship, but this mission is frustrated by skepticism about reasonable pluralism and by threats to academic freedom and free speech.  Our project seeks to train members of our community to think rigorously about value questions and to create spaces for free and open political debate, as a complement to political action and civic engagement.  We aim both to understand the nature of responsible democratic citizenship by asking theoretical questions in political theory, social epistemology, and moral psychology and to support the practices of responsible democratic citizenship in our community.  

For more information or to join our mailing list, contact Allan Hazlett.

The Civil Society Initiative is a collaboration of the Departments of Philosophy and Political Science and is supported by the Frick Initiative and the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy.

Latest News

Can We Get Better At Disagreeing?

The Civil Society Initiative was recently profiled for an article in The Source.

Read the article

Disagreement, Extremism, and Polarization

Offered in Fall 2025, "Disagreement, Extremism, and Polarization" (Philosophy 2201/Political Science 2202/Legal Studies 2201) introduces students to questions about whether it is possible for reasonable people to disagree, whether democratic deliberation requires a background of agreement or “shared facts,” how our moral psychology shapes our political beliefs, whether prejudice and bias can be eliminated from political thinking, and whether there are some political positions that are so extreme they should not be taken seriously.

Dinner & Dialogue

Our Dinner & Dialogue series brings together students, faculty, and members of our community for constructive conversations about timely moral and political questions.

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Civil Society Brunch

Our Civil Society Brunch series brings experts and activists to St. Louis to share their ideas with the public.

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Social Identity and Democratic Deliberation

Offered in Spring 2025, "Social Identity and Democratic Deliberation" (Philosophy 2202/Political Science 2203/Legal Studies 2202) investigates how core deliberative practices, including argument and testimony, are distorted by individuals’ social identities. How should argument and testimony work in a democracy? How does social identity, including gender, race and class, impact us as political agents within a deliberative context?

Events

Our events model reasonable disagreement and provide access to the latest research in political theory, social epistemology, and moral psychology.

Events

Our Team

Allan Hazlett

Professor of Philosophy

Allan Hazlett works on testimony, skepticism, desire, the value of truth, reasons, and other topics in epistemology and metaethics. 

Anne Baril

Lecturer in Philosophy

Anne Baril has research interests in ethics, epistemology, and their intersection. She is especially interested in the role of epistemic virtues and values in the good life.

Anna F. Bialek

Anna F. Bialek

Assistant Professor of Religion and Politics

314-935-8677
<p>Anna Bialek’s research and teaching focus on contemporary religious ethics and political theory with an emphasis on feminist thought, Christian theology, and modern forms of power critique.</p>
Amy Gais

Amy Gais

Lecturer in Political Science and IPH

<p>Dr. Amy Gais is a political theorist specializing in the history of political thought and religion and politics with a thematic focus on political freedom and religious toleration.</p>
Photo of Ron Mallon

​Ron Mallon

Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology

314-935-7149

Professor Mallon's current research interests include social constructionist claims and the role that culturally transmitted moral rules play in moral reasoning.​