By Byron White

Abstract

In a keynote address at the American Democracy Project conference in June of 2012, Byron P. White argued that despite good intentions, there are powerful forces within institutions that “challenge our best efforts at democratic engagement.” He described a series of disconnects between communities and institutions that must be overcome to fulfill the promise of a university that cares about the community in which it is embedded. Because of the importance and timeliness of the address, the editors chose to publish the speech almost as it was given without peer review. (Audio file of speech included with article)