Fall 2024 Workshops

Our workshops allow small groups of students with a strong interest in a particular topic a unique opportunity to engage with it. Intended for students looking for more substance than a one-off public event can provide, but who may not have the time to commit to something as intensive as a reading group, workshops are 3-4 hour commitments comprised of conversations hosted by recognized experts, breakout sessions, and a complimentary meal— all held in the Blue Ridge Center office. Browse upcoming workshops and register for them below.

Be sure to check back frequently as we update our list. Have any questions or even an idea of your own? Email us at info@theblueridgecenter.org and we’ll work to make it happen.

  • Urban Planning: Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities

    November 25, 6:30 PM in Campbell 220C

    Jane Jacobs had profound influence on how we think about urban planning—all from someone who didn't have a college degree and never worked as a planner. Her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities challenged dominant thinking about city planning and major urban projects, by placing individual residents and their community lives at the center of things. This workshop samples her major statements and landmarks in her life.

  • Fiction and Poetry

    Coming Next Semester!

    Led by: Christopher Scalia

    Sign Up

  • Men and Boys (Masculinity)

    Coming Next Semester!

    Our culture is still grappling—and usually failing to grapple—with the distinctive role played by men in jobs and the workforce, relationships, including marriage and parenting, and society in general. What is the role of men, and how do families and cultures produce healthier and more productive men?

    Led by: Andrus Ashoo, director of UVA's office of citizen scholar development.

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  • Citizens United and Campaign Finance

    Coming Next Semester!

    Does money buy elections in America? Or should people be free to donate to candidates they support? Laws on how elections campaigns can be financed are among the most controversial and fought-over in U.S. politics. This workshop focuses on the issue in general and the landmark Citizens United Supreme Court decision in particular.

    Led by: John Moran, a partner at McGuire Woods who previously served in top jobs in the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel's office.

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  • Online/Digital Privacy

    Coming Next Semester!

    Who owns the information you share online? Could rules be changed to better protect your privacy? Or are most people content to share their information in exchange for better services—like ads about items they want to buy, or directions that mention places they'd like to go?

    Led by: UVA Law professor Danielle Citron, VP of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, and author of The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love In Our Digital Age.

    Cosponsored by the Virginia Undergraduate Law Review

    Sign Up

Past Workshops

  • Lease Reading Workshop

    Learn how to spot red flags, avoid common pitfalls, and protect your rights as a renter. Whether you're renting for the first time or just need a refresher, this workshop will give you the tools to make confident, informed decisions. Don’t sign on the dotted line without the knowledge you need! Sign up today and rent smarter!

    Cosponsored by Student Legal Services

  • Classical Liberalism

    Classical liberalism is one of the great traditions in political thought. But in 30 years, it's gone from winning "history" to being under siege from all sides. What are its basic principles, implications, and weaknesses?

    Led by: Ryan Yonk, a political scientist, former professor, and director of programs at a think tank.

  • AI & Ethics

    Most talk about artificial intelligence focuses on what it can do. But if past technological revolutions tell us anything, it's that we also have to ask what we should do. What are the ethical implications of applying AI in different areas? Does AI have prejudices—or could it make some worse? Could it be very moral or a moral danger?

    Led by: Jim van Dyke, a computer engineer and PhD in philosophy, and Catherine Moon, a theologian and fellow at UVA's Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture.

  • Unpacking Harvard: Affirmative Action Workshop

    This workshop explored the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard is both profoundly relevant and highly contested. The Court held that the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Equal Rights Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, along with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, do not allow Universities to decide admissions based— in part or in whole— on race. What exactly are the implications of Harvard? Where do University admissions committees and aspiring college applicants go from here? Was the Court right or wrong in its ruling?

    Led by: Bryan Weir and Scott Ballenger

  • Unpacking Dobbs

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is one of the most controversial in SCOTUS history. It overturned the Court’s landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, declaring that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. What exactly are the implications of Dobbs? Where do pro-choice and pro-life activists go from here? Was the Court right or wrong in its ruling? This workshop was a balanced overview of the decision by two prominent law professors.

    Led by: Naomi Cahn and Helen Alvaré