Events Calendar

Domestic workers--those that are employed in our homes to care for children, elderly and the disabled as well as perform a variety of other duties, such as cooking and cleaning--are critical to our economy, society and our families’ well-being.

The Alma and Joseph Gildenhorn Book Series will feature Nicolas Berggruen and Nathan Gardels discussing their recently published book Intelligent Governance for the 21st Century: A Middle Way Between West and East (Polity Press). Berggruen is president and chairman of the Nicolas Berggruen Institute. Gardeis is editor of New Perspectives Quarterly.

How are the arts, arts education, and creativity best supported in 21st century America? As citizens, how can we use our voices and resources to shape culture and education? Charles Best (Founder and CEO, DonorsChoose.org) and Yancey Strickler (Co-Founder, Kickstarter), both of whom have pioneered visionary crowd-funding platforms, discuss contemporary models for innovation and development in the arts, and a vision for democratic engagement with cultural enterprise. This conversation was moderated by Darren Walker (Vice President, Ford Foundation). Read More

For a number of years, employers have expressed concerns about the Skills Gap – the perceived lack of qualified employees to fill the positions that employers have available. Employers in the skilled trades express these concerns as frequently as employers in other industries.

Join us for this year’s exploration of the Great Books. Each year community members come together to engage in lively and rigorous dialogue using excerpts from the Great Books.  Aspen Institute senior moderator Pete Thigpen will moderate this year’s series. Pete has been a Senior Fellow and Moderator for the Aspen Institute since 1989 as well as a lecturer at the Haas School of Business, and is on the board of a number of business and nonprofit organizations.  

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Winter Words is a series of readings and talks featuring some of the most prominent writers in contemporary literature. Scions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and memoir speak in intimate Aspen venues, where topics of discussion range from the creative process to the role of art in today's world. Events take place throughout the ski season and are open to the public.

In conflict areas around the globe, the best diplomatic efforts still often leave communities torn by patterns of distrust. Can the arts help to transcend prejudice and enable understanding and respect?

General Stanley McChrystal, former commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan; Author, My Share of the Task Read More

Join us for this year’s exploration of the Great Books. Each year community members come together to engage in lively and rigorous dialogue using excerpts from the Great Books. Aspen Institute senior moderator Pete Thigpen will moderate this year’s series. Pete has been a Senior Fellow and Moderator for the Aspen Institute since 1989 as well as a lecturer at the Haas School of Business, and is on the board of a number of business and nonprofit organizations.
Fee (includes readings): $195.

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Restless Minds: Art, Ethics, Freedom: The Aspen Institute opens its Aspen Meadows campus to teenagers for the unique opportunity to discuss ideas and values in the traditional Aspen Seminar style. Participants will complete readings in advance and will then convene to discuss this year's topic, Restless Minds: Art, Ethics, Freedom. Participants will be guided through discussions and questions such as, "As a teen, do you ever find yourself stressed by conflicting goals and beliefs? Are you ever caught between your ideals and what is practical or convenient? Have you ever had to choose among community and self; rules and revolt; convention and creativity?" The seminar begins with participants' own pre-session, written statement of what it means to be or have a "restless mind." Then, over three half days, we draw on the group’s statements and film, fiction, poetry, music, science, and philosophy to explore how people of all ages—children, teens, and adults—build their multiple aims into productive, happy lives.

**Teen Socrates 2013 is now full, please contact Beth Slater beth.slater@aspeninstiute.org to be added to the wait list.  

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The Roberts Court has set legal decisions on leading issues of our time. And with the Voting Rights Act, affirmative action, and gay marriage in the upcoming term, the Court will continue to set crucial legal policy. Over the course of three charged sessions, you will gain an inside look at the trends, personalities, and identity of the Supreme Court. Topics will include free speech, national security law, the boundaries of federal power, along with an exposition of the Roberts Court and upcoming cases. The program, spanning three half-days, will feature preparatory readings, lecture, Q&A, and moderated discussion. Join us for an insider's view of where we are now, how we got here, and implications for the near future.

Moderated by Thomas Goldstein, Partner, Goldstein & Russell, P.C., Supreme Court Litigation lecturer at Stanford and Harvard Law Schools; and by Jeffrey Rosen, professor of law, The George Washington University and legal affairs editor, The New Republic. Read More

In this eight week series, participants gather to discuss key foreign policy issues facing the world today, as outlined in the 2013 Foreign Policy Association briefing book. This year’s topics will include the Future of the Euro, Egypt, NATO, Myanmar and Southeast Asia, Humanitarian intervention, Iran, China in Africa, and Threat assessment. Read More