For all enrolled Harvard graduate students

Join the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative to workshop a new teaching case examining the challenges of civic engagement, free speech, and civic discourse in an increasingly polarized environment, taught by Professor Jorrit de Jong. The case will be used in executive education programs for mayors and senior leaders.

Lunch will be provided prior to the start of the session at 12:15 p.m.

We ask all participants to prepare for the case discussion by reading the materials. Further workshop details and case materials will be provided once registration has closed.

Space is limited for this in-person event. Registration will close when full or by Thursday, June 4.

Case: No Comments? Rethinking Civic Engagement in Rochester, Minnesota

Case description: By 2024, Mayor Kim Norton of Rochester, Minnesota, and city staff had been managing a recurring pattern for years: a small number of highly active social media commenters repeatedly wrote vitriolic comments online in response to mayoral and city hall posts on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). The online exchanges eventually spilled into public meetings, community events, and other civic spaces, discouraging broader participation in civic dialogue. Rochester’s leaders were forced to reconsider how they could sustain meaningful civic engagement when forums intended to build participation and trust were instead driving residents away.

We welcome individuals with accessibility needs to participate in our events. Contact us at events@cities.harvard.edu to request accommodations or if you have questions.