American Democracy in Historical Perspective

<div class="header alignfull header--article header--min-height-full has-background has-tonal-black-background-color"> <div class="header__layout"> <div class="header__content"> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-category"> Blog Posts, and Videos</div></div></div> <h1 class="header__title has-h2-variant">Archives</h1> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="favorite-block"> <button class="favorite" data-id="281380" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" /></svg></button></div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-program_tax"> <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/aspen-community-programs/">Aspen Community Programs</a></div></div></div> </div> </div> <figure class="header__media" role="presentation"> <img decoding="async" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1745x1090.jpg" alt="" width="1745" height="1090" srcset="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1745x1090.jpg 1745w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-800x500.jpg 800w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1500x937.jpg 1500w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-768x480.jpg 768w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-2048x1279.jpg 2048w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1600x1000.jpg 1600w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1080x675.jpg 1080w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RS71955-300x187.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1745px) 100vw, 1745px" loading="eager" class="header__image" style="object-position: 71% 12%"> <span class="header__overlay" style="opacity: 0.8"></span> </figure> </div> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="American Democracy in Historical Perspective" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kHhfdtG4mro?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Historian <strong>Sean Wilentz</strong> joins the Aspen Institute for a keynote lecture exploring the enduring debates that have shaped American democracy. A professor of history at Princeton University and one of the country’s leading scholars of American political history, Wilentz reflects on the political movements, constitutional traditions, and historical forces that continue to influence American public life today. Presented as part of the Hurst Lecture Series.</p> <div>&nbsp;</div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/american-democracy-in-historical-perspective/">American Democracy in Historical Perspective</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>