The Freedom to Disagree: Why Democracies Depend on Friction

June 1, 2026

Drawing on her personal journey from extremism to bridge building, Megan Phelps-Roper explores how encountering opposing ideas can transform individuals and strengthen societies. She argues that disagreement isn’t a threat to truth, but a path toward it – and that democracies depend on the courage to enter open, rigorous and sometimes uncomfortable conversations, approached with empathy and intellectual humility.

Participating in this event

Megan Phelps-Roper

Megan Phelps-Roper is a writer, host, and producer with Longview Investigations. Born and...

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The Freedom to Disagree: Why Democracies Depend on Friction

Participating in this event

Megan Phelps-Roper

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