What does or could hold our democracies together? Explore and discuss this existential question for Western Democracy with Mathieu Lefèvre, the co-founder and CEO of More in Common, a non-profit whose mission is to unite divided societies. Check out today’s article on Mathieu’s work in LE MONDE to find out more how the environment has become the major transversal theme in French Politics!

The event is followed by a cocktail in order to pursue the discussions in a more informal setting.

More in Common draws from insights from social psychology and the social sciences to understand what is tearing western democracies apart and what can bring us back together again. More in Common has conducted widely quoted opinion research on social division and polarization in France, Germany and the United States.

Destin Commun (More in Common’s French arm) just published La France en Quête (Finding France in English), a uniquely wide-ranging survey of French society and democracy. It provides fresh insights into the deep-seated fractures that exist within French society – and also points towards opportunities for healing those divisions. Destin Commun’s study finds three “Frances” living parallel lives, with few occasions for contact. They also find signs of growing polarization on questions of national identity. It suggests the fragmentation of French society can be explained by looking at profoundly held core beliefs and value systems. Building on this major segmentation study, Destin Commun has also been publishing more targeted findings on how French people view climate change and the environment in the run up to the March 2020 local elections in France. Next to Le Monder, Destin Commun’s new report has been featured on France Culture, France 24, Paris Match, La Croix, L’Opinion, Marianne, AFP, Ouest France and others.

They also released the acclaimed Hidden Tribes of America project which has been quoted in hundreds of media articles from Fox News and conservative talk radio to MSNBC and the front page of The New York Times.

Mathieu is both French and American, lives in Paris with his wife and three sons and graduated from HKS in 2003.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 10th, 2020 from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

WHERE: Linklaters, 25 rue Marignan, 75008 Paris : Métros : Franklin D. Roosevelt

COST: HCF 2020 Members : € 20 / Young graduates Members (2015-): € 10 / Non-members : € 25