Has the concept of meritocracy, despite its appeal, had the unintended consequence of deepening the divide between “winners” and “losers” and become corrosive of American democracy? Drawing on his book, The Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?, Michael Sandel will present a provocative argument and engage in conversation to explore these and other challenging, often highly politicized, questions connected with intellectual diversity, the diploma divide, and public perception of higher education.

This program is the inaugural lecture in Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s series of public events highlighting issues of Academic Freedom and Connecting Across Difference.

Harvard Radcliffe Institute gratefully acknowledges the Susan Fales-Hill and Aaron Hill Fund for Civil Discourse, which is supporting this event.

Speaker

Michael Sandel, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Discussants

David J. Deming, Danoff Dean of Harvard College; Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy, Harvard Kennedy School; professor of economics, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Randall L. Kennedy, Michael R. Klein Professor of Law, Harvard Law School

Moderator

Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean, Harvard Radcliffe Institute; Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard Law School; professor of history, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences