Alexander Heffner, host of “The Open Mind” on PBS, will be on the McPherson College campus to speak to the public from noon to 1 p.m. in Mingenback Theater on Wednesday, October 17. He will discuss the effects of divisiveness on discourse and governance and the impact of social media, fake news, and filter bubbles that polarize information intake.
Heffner has covered American politics, civic life, and Millennials for leading newspapers and magazines, and has authored a book titled, “A Documentary History of the United States.” His work has been profiled in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times, and he has lectured at universities around the world. He founded and edited the first-ever online national student newspaper covering the 2008 presidential campaign and Obama presidency, and directed a civic education initiative for which he taught in under-served classrooms.
The forum is free and made possible through the support of the Mohler-Flory Lecture Series. Those attending are welcome to bring a lunch if they like. There will be time for questions at the end of his presentation. Heffner will also be speaking to students in classes throughout the day.