Better Arguments

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Relaunching November 10, 2026 from the Aspen Policy Academy

America doesn’t need fewer arguments; it needs better arguments.

American civic life depends on people with differences being able to argue with one another. That’s because America itself is an ongoing argument. For 250 years, debates over liberty and equality, federal and local power, and more have shaped our democracy. We don’t need to avoid tough arguments; we need to learn how to engage one another more constructively around differences of opinion.

What is the Better Arguments Project?

The Better Arguments Project is a national civic initiative created to help bridge divides – not by papering over those divides but by helping people have better arguments. In partnership with communities and advisers around the country, we have synthesized 3 dimensions and 5 principles of a Better Argument.

For the project’s 10th anniversary, the Aspen Policy Academy is launching new, free and virtual trainings for individuals and communities nationwide based on the proven framework.

Coming Soon

Want to have Better Arguments? Full details will be announced on November 10, 2026. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear.

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Aspen Policy Academy

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A Decade of Impact

Americans Don’t Need Reconciliation—They Need to Get Better at Arguing

If We Are Going to Argue, Let’s Do It Right

Better Arguments Project: Tensions Between Long-timers and Newcomers in Detroit

How to Have a Better Argument Across The Political Divide

Better Arguments at William & Mary