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Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

November 2, 2023

Washington Premiere of the Award-winning Film Join or Die and Dialogue on Isolation or Community? Solidarity in America

Georgetown University hosted the Washington premiere of Join or Die, which tells the story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam. The film analyzes America’s decades-long decline in community connections and offers examples and hope for a renewal of civic life and potential answers to our democracy's present crisis.  Watch the trailer.

After the Washington premiere of the film and a leadership reception in Riggs Library, Georgetown hosted a major Public Dialogue in Gaston Hall to explore the themes of the film with Robert Putnam, Eboo Patel, Justin Giboney, filmmakers Pete and Rebecca Davis, and Nicole Perone. These respected leaders examined the crisis of loneliness and how American values and Catholic social teaching can move us forward to help renew community and democracy.

Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative and member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, moderated the dialogue.

This dialogue was co-sponsored by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University.

Resources

View articles, books, videos and other resources for this dialogue.

Participants

Pete Davis

Pete Davis

Pete Davis is co-director and co-producer of the documentary Join or Die. He is a civic advocate from Falls Church, Virginia; author of the book Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing (2021); and the co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network, a policy organization focused on raising up ideas that deepen democracy.

Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Davis is co-director and co-producer of the documentary Join or Die which premiered in March of this year at SXSW. She has produced for HBO, VICE, Al Jazeera and A&E — and was the supervising producer for Season 2 of Vox's hit Netflix show, Explained. 

Justin Giboney

Justin Giboney

Justin Giboney is an attorney and a political strategist from Atlanta, Georgia. He is also the president and co-founder of the AND Campaign, a Christian civic organization that focuses on asserting compassion and conviction in the public square.

Eboo Patel

Eboo Patel

Eboo Patel is the president and founder of Interfaith America. He has served on President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council and is the author of five books, including We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy (2022).

Nicole Perone

Nicole Perone

Nicole Perone is the national coordinator of ESTEEM, the faith-based leadership formation program for Catholic students at colleges and universities across the United States. She speaks and writes nationally on the roles of young people and women in the Church.

Robert Putnam

Robert Putnam

Robert Putnam is a social scientist and professor of public policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is the author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000), Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis (2015), and American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us (2010).

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