Dr. Jason S. Carroll, the Family Initiative Director, Spoke at Qatar Conference on Interfaith Dialogue

Wheatley Institute partnered with the American Enterprise Institute on conference

Paul Lambert, Wheatley Institute Religion Director, was part of a panel discussion during a breakout session at the 2024 Braver Angels National Convention. The convention was organized in an effort to find ways to disagree better especially in politics and civic virtue.

The Constitution is foundational to what we all love about America. Arizona State professor Paul Carrese noted in a lecture at the Wheatley Institute last year that “our very complex constitutional system of separation of powers and federalism inherently call for civil disagreement over both long-term and day-to-day political issues.” So, understanding the rights underlying our constitutional system and how they protect people who disagree with us is critical.

These findings hint at a generational transformation in how Americans relate to political legitimacy. Older Americans are unified in their faith in the Constitution. Middle-aged Americans are split by education, sorted into different legitimacy frameworks. And younger Americans are divided and diverse, with no dominant view and increasing weight placed on personal belief and public opinion.

"The Convention’s rules assumed that if you brought people together and had them listen to one another, they’d change their minds...The Framers became friends who were willing to engage in good faith negotiations and seek mutual accommodations for the sake of unity."