Membership and Registration

Membership

The Spring 2026 Series of the Swarthmore Discussion Group membership fee is $199. This includes a catered dinner with each of the four lectures in the series, which are in person and on Wednesday evenings. The evening begins with an optional happy hour from 5:15–6 p.m., then dinner from 6–7 p.m., and then the lecture from 7–8:15 p.m.

The Spring 2026 Series membership registration is due by Jan. 14, 2026. When membership is paid, registration is confirmed via email. Membership is capped at 100 participants.

Membership includes a catered dinner at The Inn at Swarthmore Gathering Room, located at 10 S. Chester Road, Swarthmore, PA 19081. Please note that no refunds are available.

For more information about registration, contact sdg@swarthmore.edu

Online Registration 

If registering online for a membership for yourself and a partner, spouse, or friend, please make sure to add that person as a guest. 
 

Spring 2026 Series Registration

Single Talk Registration:

JAN. 21, 2026

Immigration, Deportation, and Birthright Citizenship in the Second Trump Administration

Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
and
Carol Nackenoff, Richter Professor of Political Science Emerita, Swarthmore College

President Trump launched his second term by issuing executive orders removing migrants from the U.S., authorizing agents to enter formerly safe spaces, suspending refugee programs, halting most immigration from Latin America, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, and prospectively denying birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized aliens. Two senior scholars of American immigration and citizenship policies discuss the legality, ideology, and impacts of these dramatic initiatives.

Smith & Nackenoff Single Talk Registration

FEB. 18, 2026

You Can't Say That: American Higher Education and the War on Free Speech

Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor of education and history, University of Pennsylvania

The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel triggered a new set of contradictions around free speech on American campuses. On the political right, the same people who formerly condemned universities as hostile to free speech demanded new restrictions on allegedly hateful statements. Meanwhile, left-wing voices who had demanded checks on hate speech became zealous advocates for protecting those same statements. This talk examines how we arrived at this frenzied moment and suggests a new way forward.

Jonathan Zimmerman Single Talk Registration

MARCH 18, 2026

Dictators and Diplomats: Orchestral Conducting Past and Present

Andrew Hauze ’04, Senior Lecturer in Music, Swarthmore College

Orchestral conducting is a profession often shrouded in mystery. From baton-throwing tyrants to cordial collaborators, the role of the conductor has significantly evolved over the last 150 years. But what does a conductor do? Are conductors really necessary? Who is given such power? Together, we’ll examine questions of musical interpretation, power, gender, race, and conductors in popular culture, from Bugs Bunny and Fantasia to Maestro and Tár.

Andrew Hauze '04 Single Talk Registration

APRIL 15, 2026

Can Political Empathy Help De-polarize our Politics?

Lia Howard, Director of the Political Empathy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania

The Political Empathy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania explores how to build dialogue across today’s sharp political differences. A practice called “democratic listening” has shown great promise when used by UPenn students on multiple trips to communities across Pennsylvania. Having trained and led students on those trips, Prof. Howard will report on what they learned and what their experiences tell us about reducing political polarization.

Lia Howard Single Talk Registration

Registration through the Mail 

Please make checks payable to “Swarthmore College” and note in the memo line that your check is for the "Swarthmore Discussion Group." Send the check with your name, address, phone number, and email to The Swarthmore Discussion Group, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081.