Auburn to welcome scholars Robert P. George and Cornel West for Democracy in Dialogue this week
September 28, 2026
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As part of Auburn University’s America 250 commemoration, the university will continue its Signature Speaker Series on Sep. 30 at 5 p.m. CT, with a moderated conversation between distinguished political scholars Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George at the Gogue Performing Arts Center. Tickets to the event are now open to the general public.
AUBURN, Ala. – Nearly a decade after Robert P. George and Cornel West first appeared together on Auburn’s campus, the two distinguished scholars will return to Auburn on Wednesday, Sept. 30, for a discussion on American democracy, civic engagement and the value of engaging with different points of view.
George and West will participate in a moderated conversation from 5-6 p.m. at the Gogue Performing Arts Center for the second installment of Auburn University’s Democracy in Dialogue Signature Speaker Series, part of the university’s yearlong America 250 commemoration.
During the hour-long discussion, the scholars will explore questions about American democracy, citizenship and the role of higher education in preparing students for civic life. They will also consider how universities can foster the exchange of ideas, expose students to differing perspectives and encourage them to think critically about their own views and the responsibilities of citizenship.
Their willingness to engage across differences has become a defining part of George and West’s partnership. Although the two often approach political and philosophical questions from different perspectives, the longtime friends have built a relationship around open, thoughtful dialogue and a shared belief that difficult questions are worth asking and that the pursuit of truth requires a willingness to be challenged.
In 2025, George and West co-authored Truth Matters: A Dialogue on Fruitful Disagreement in an Age of Division, which examines disagreement, truth-seeking and the value of engaging seriously with people who hold different views.
George and West are no strangers to Auburn. They previously appeared together on campus in 2017, when more than 500 members of the Auburn community attended their discussion on civil discourse and the role universities can play in fostering meaningful dialogue across differences.
Their return marks the second installment of Auburn’s Democracy in Dialogue Signature Speaker Series. The series began in March with 66th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and political commentator Margaret Hoover, who challenged the audience to consider the role individuals play in sustaining American democracy. Introduced as part of Auburn’s America 250 commemoration, the series provides opportunities for reflection and engagement as the nation marks 250 years of independence.
George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. His scholarship includes philosophy of law, moral and political philosophy, constitutional law and civil liberties. He has served as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the President’s Council on Bioethics. His books include Making Men Moral, In Defense of Natural Law and The Clash of Orthodoxies.
West is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary and a public philosopher whose scholarship spans philosophy, politics, religion and culture. He previously served as Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and is Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. The author of more than 20 books, including Race Matters and Democracy Matters, West has written extensively about democracy, justice, race and public life.
Guiding the conversation will be Auburn faculty members Dr. Susan Fillippeli and Dr. Jeffrey LaMondia. Fillippeli is a senior lecturer in the School of Communication and Journalism with experience in higher education, public service and strategic communication. LaMondia is an associate professor of civil engineering and director of Auburn’s Common Book Program, where he helps lead campus-wide conversations around shared ideas and experiences.
A limited number of free tickets remain available through the Gogue Performing Arts Center. Doors open at 4 p.m., with refreshments available in the lobby before the program begins.
