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The Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry and Belonging creates new opportunities for all Duke students, faculty and staff to maximize learning and growth in a pluralistic academic environment and society. This includes programs to foster constructive conversations across diverse perspectives and build skills to engage with complex topics with an open mind and humility. In addition, the initiative provides new and innovative curricular offerings; facilitates research connected to the themes of pluralism, free inquiry, and belonging; and hosts speakers and thought leaders with different perspectives.
We must widen our efforts to engage challenging societal issues from multiple and divergent perspectives and nurture the habits and skills needed for difficult conversations.
Provost Alec D. Gallimore
All Beliefs Welcome
A recent article in Duke Today showcased how the Provost's Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging is championing free expression and constructive dialogue on campus.
“What’s distinctive about Duke’s approach is that it acknowledges there will be tensions among pluralism, free inquiry, and belonging,” said Associate Provost Noah Pickus, the initiative's co-chair. “It focuses on both the skills needed to navigate them and the dispositions and habits – the desire – to want to do so.”
Upcoming Events
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Jan. 14 | Louis DeJoy and John Podesta
Join the Program in American Grand Strategy and the Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging for a conversation about solving problems and how to make policy in an age of political polarization featuring Louis DeJoy, entrepreneur, business leader, and Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer for the United States Postal Service from 2020 to 2025, and John Podesta, founder and former chair for the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Center for American Progress, adviser to President Joe Biden, and counselor to President Barack Obama.
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Jan. 26 | The Bipartisan Betrayal of Free Speech
Are there any true free-speech warriors left in either of America’s two major political parties? What is behind the itch to restrict expression, and how do we correct it? Join Duke professor and New York Times columnist Frank Bruni for a spirited conversation – part of his “Independent Thinkers” series – with journalist, podcaster, and critic Katie Herzog, who has boldly examined and excoriated censorship on both sides of the political divide.
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Mar. 5-7 | Cognitive Liberty: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
New developments in neuroscience and technological innovations are putting increasing pressure on the fundamental legal notions of moral autonomy, self-determination, liberty, and conscience. This trans-disciplinary meeting will bring together neuroscientists, philosophers, theologians, lawyers, and engineers to consider moral deliberation, neurorights, and what it means to be free to think and believe in the digital age.
Past Events
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Nov. 10 | “Crisis is a Time for Renewal:” A Conversation with Rep. Ro Khanna
How does America move past this fractious, furious juncture? Are there ways to bridge the divide and lessen the acrimony between rival political camps? Please join Duke professor and New York Times columnist Frank Bruni for a candid, wide-ranging conversation – part of his “Independent Thinkers” series of events – with U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, an increasingly prominent voice in the Democratic Party, a fierce advocate for a new generation of leadership and a possible contender for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination.
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Oct. 7 | Meritocracy on Trial: A Public Conversation on Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit
Michael Sandel, a leading public intellectual and political theorist, will discuss his book, The Tyranny of Merit, in a public conversation with Jedediah Purdy, the Raphael Lemkin Distinguished Professor of Law at Duke, and former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon.
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Sept. 30 | Meet the Democrat Even Republicans Love
Join Duke professor Frank Bruni for the first event in his new "Independent Thinkers" conversation series. Frank will talk with Kody Kinsley, former Secretary of Health and Human Services for North Carolina, about working across party lines, how Democrats could better communicate with skeptical voters, and how we can move beyond political tribalism.
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Sept. 11 | Pluralism and Free Inquiry: Comparative Approaches
In this lecture hosted by Duke's Transformative Ideas program, David Wong will examine the philosophical foundations of pluralism and free inquiry through the lens of comparative philosophy. His lecture will be followed by a conversation with Michael Gillespie comparing Eastern and Western traditions—past and present—on free inquiry, pluralism, and education in the 21st century.
Pluralism and Free Inquiry: Comparative Approaches
In his 2025-26 Transformative Ideas Welcome Dinner Lecture, Professor David Wong explores the themes of pluralism and free inquiry from a comparative philosophical standpoint and addresses how diverse perspectives can coexist and how open intellectual exchange contributes to deeper understanding across cultures and belief systems.
Latest News
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How Duke is Promoting Civil Dialogue Through “Transformative Ideas”
An article in the Heterodox Academy's Free the Inquiry Substack features Duke's Transformative Ideas program and how it "prompts students and faculty to wrestle with life’s enduring questions about meaning, purpose, and human flourishing."
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Rep. Ro Khanna Encourages Common Ground Through ‘Active Citizenship’
Khanna joined Duke Professor Frank Bruni for a wide-ranging conversation on how America might move past its fractious political moment and bridge the divides between rival camps, part of Bruni’s Independent Thinkers series, which is sponsored by the Provost's Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging.
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Duke Joins Peer Universities in Developing New Models for Fostering Dialogue
In October, leaders from Duke and seven other private universities met in Washington, D.C., to launch a shared effort to develop innovative models for strengthening constructive dialogue, open inquiry, and free expression in higher education.
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When I Was Wrong: Faculty Lessons From Their Mistakes
In an event sponsored by the Provost's Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging, more than 60 faculty and students shared stories about times when they were wrong and the barriers to opening up about intellectual or professional errors.
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Transformative Ideas Symposium Explores Intellectual Friendship
The symposium, the first event sponsored by the Provost’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry, and Belonging, offered an opportunity for students and faculty to gather in a festive setting for conversation and community.
People
Leadership
- Abbas Benmamoun, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Linguistics
- Noah Pickus, Associate Provost and Professor of the Practice of Public Policy
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Contact Us
We want to hear from you. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for activities, please email PluralismFreeInquiryBelonging@duke.edu.