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2019 Sphere Summit

July 14–18, 2019
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC

SPHERE SUMMIT FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

  • Rep. Justin Amash (R‑MI)
  • Ibrahim Anoba, Editor, African​Lib​er​ty​.org
  • David Boaz, Executive Vice President, Cato Institute
  • Michael F. Cannon, Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute
  • Steve Clemons, Editor-At-Large, The Hill
  • Mark Davis, Head of School, St. Luke’s School, New Canaan, CT
  • Annie Duke, Championship Poker Player, Author, and Decision Strategist
  • Emily Ekins, Research Fellow, Director of Polling, Cato Institute
  • Chelsea Follett, Managing Editor, Human​Progress​.org
  • Sherry Glied, Dean, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University
  • Peter Goettler, President and CEO, Cato Institute
  • Donald E. Graham, Chairman, Graham Holdings Company, and Former Publisher, the Washington Post
  • Arnold Kling, Senior Affiliated Scholar, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D‑CA)
  • Jeffrey Miron, Director, Undergraduate Studies, Department of Economics, Harvard University; and Director, Economics Studies, Cato Institute
  • Monique Morrissey, Economist, Economic Policy Institute
  • Clark Neily, Vice President, Criminal Justice, Cato Institute
  • Tom G. Palmer, Executive Vice President for International Programs, Atlas Network
  • Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
  • Jason L. Riley, Editorial Board Member, The Wall Street Journal, and Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
  • Ramesh Ponnuru, Senior Editor, National Review
  • Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center
  • Stefanie Sanford, Chief of Global Policy & External Relations, College Board
  • Kerry Sautner, Chief Learning Officer, National Constitution Center
  • Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President for External Affairs, American Progress
  • Nadine Strossen, Former President, ACLU, and John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law, New York Law School
  • Michael D. Tanner, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
  • Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
  • Hayne Yoon, Director of Government Affairs, Vera Institute of Justice

Schedule

All sessions are held in the Cato Institute’s Hayek Auditorium.
All meals are held in the Cato Institute’s George M. Yeager Conference Center.
Dinner on Wednesday evening is on Capitol Hill (transportation will be provided).

SUNDAY, JULY 14

3:30 — 6:30PM Registration
6:30 — 9:00PM DINNER PROGRAM

A Conversation with Annie Duke

MONDAY, JULY 15

8:00 — 9:00AM Breakfast
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
9:00 — 10:00AM Darrell M. West — Divided Politics, Divided Nation
10:00 — 11:00AM Jonathan Rauch and Nadine Strossen — Free Speech: How One of Our Most Cherished Shared Values Fell Prey to the Partisan Maelstrom, and Why We Must Save It
Moderated by Caleb O. Brown
11:00 — 11:30AM Break, Networking, and Informal Discussions
11:30 — 12:30PM POLICY DISCUSSIONS (Key issues examined from diverse perspectives.)

Jeffrey Miron and Monique Morrissey — Do Budgets and Demographics Threaten Social Programs?
12:30 — 1:30PM

1:15PM

1:45 — 2:30PM

Lunch

Remarks by Peter Goettler and Mark Davis

UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER

Arnold Kling — The Three Languages of Politics

2:30 — 3:30PM WORKSHOPS AND BREAKOUTS

Breakout Groups to Develop and Discuss Classroom Applications

3:30 — 6:30PM Free Time
6:30 — 9:00PM DINNER PROGRAM

A Conversation with Donald E. Graham

TUESDAY, JULY 16

8:00 — 9:00AM Breakfast
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
9:00 — 10:00AM Tom G. Palmer — What is a Civil Society?
10:00 — 11:00AM Chelsea Follett — Human Progress​.org
11:00 — 11:30AM Break, Networking, and Informal Discussions
11:30 — 12:30PM POLICY DISCUSSIONS (Key issues examined from diverse perspectives.)

Michael Cannon and Sherry Glied — The Health Care Divide
12:30 — 1:30PM Lunch
1:30 — 2:30PM UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER (Reflections from a progressive, conservative, and libertarian.)

David Boaz, Steve Clemons and Ramesh Ponnuru — Our Five Most Pressing Problems
Moderated by Emily Ekins

2:30 — 4:30PM Jeffrey Rosen and Kerry Sautner — The Interactive Constitution
4:30 — 6:30PM Free Time
6:30 — 9:00PM

6:30PM		 DINNER PROGRAM

Dinner Address
Stefanie Sanford — Civics in the Age of Social Media

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17

8:00 — 9:00AM Breakfast
CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS
9:00 — 10:00AM Tom G. Palmer — The Contemporary Emergence of Populism
10:00 — 11:00AM Emily Ekins — Sphere in the Classroom
11:00 — 11:30AM Break, Networking, and Informal Discussions
11:30 — 12:30PM POLICY DISCUSSIONS (Key issues examined from diverse perspectives.)

Clark Neily and Hayne Yoon — Putting “Justice” Back in Our Criminal Justice System
Moderated by Caleb O. Brown

12:30 — 1:30PM Lunch
1:30 — 2:30PM UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER (Reflections from a progressive, conservative, and libertarian.)

Ibrahim B. Anoba, Ramesh Ponnuru and Winnie Stachelberg — Values, Beliefs, and Objectives
Moderated by Emily Ekins

2:30 — 3:30PM WORKSHOPS AND BREAKOUTS

Breakout Groups to Demonstrate and Share Classroom Applications

3:30 — 6:30PM Free Time
6:30 — 9:00PM DINNER PROGRAM

Rep. Justin Amash (R‑MI) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D‑CA) — Working Together in Congress: An Evening on Capitol Hill

THURSDAY, JULY 18

8:00 — 10:00AM

Farewell Brunch

CIVIC CULTURE AND FOUNDATIONS

8:30 — 9:30AM Jason L. Riley and Michael D. Tanner — The Inclusive Economy
9:30 — 10:00AM Closing Remarks