Sustaining Democracy is a new book club that provides UT students a space in which to read and discuss key thinkers and texts, both canonical and contemporary, that lay the foundations for democratic and ethical governance. Readings will highlight the specific ways that ethical and democratic governance is undermined by authoritarianism, tribalism, and political corruption. Interested students should email hina.azam@austin.utexas.edu for any questions or to join.

For the Spring 2021 semester, we will complete How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, from the previous semester. For the remainder of the semester, we will read Sinclair Lewis’s 1935 classic fictional work, It Can’t Happen Here.

Participants are responsible for acquiring their own copies of the book. Meetings will usually be held on Thursdays at 5 pm; all meetings this semester will be held via Zoom. The Sustaining Democracy book club is open to all UT students.  To join, register at:

https://utexas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUof–srz8sGdZPI4XbjA_fKat9UpRMMWJP

For questions, please email Dr. Hina Azam at hina.azam@austin.utexas.edu.

SPRING 2021 SCHEDULE:

• Tue 3/25: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.1-7
• Thu 4/8: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.8-15   
• Thu 4/15: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.16-23
• Thu 4/22: : It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.24-31
• Thu 5/6: : It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.32-38 (end of book)

Please self-enroll in the “Sustaining Democracy” Canvas group for up-to-date information on readings, meetings, etc: https://utexas.instructure.com/enroll/H4E8NF