2024 Henry Marshall Tory Lecture with keynote speaker Dr. Jared Wesley, PhD

Progressives and conservatives are failing to find common ground in communities across the globe. People appear to have lost the shared sense of purpose and values necessary to debate matters of the public good without disparaging their neighbours. In places like Alberta, the divisions are palpable. But how much of this polarization is a figment of our imagination? 

In this public lecture, Jared Wesley explores the gap between who Albertans actually are and who they see themselves to be as a community. Based on engaging thousands of Albertans, his insights provide a toolkit for citizens eager to tamp down the factionalism that has gripped our communities over the past decade.

Jared Wesley is Associate Dean (Graduate Studies), a professor of political science and member of the Black Faculty Collective at the University of Alberta. He studies the links between public opinion, public policy, and political culture. His career path has included several senior management positions with the Government of Alberta. Based in Edmonton, he is a lucky husband and proud father of two.