We’re excited to announce the themes for the Point Program for Public Thinking’s fourth annual Summer Workshop! From August 3-14, The Point will host curious undergraduates on the University of Chicago’s campus for a rigorous, fully funded program centered on writing and engaging in public discourse.
We will host two workshops in 2026. “Questions Concerning Technology,” taught by Point editor Jon Baskin and sociologist Dan Silver, will address the promises and perils of artificial intelligence, social media and algorithmic culture that press on our daily lives. “The Good Life,” taught by Point editors (and philosophers) Anastasia Berg and Joey Keegin, will contend with the difficulty of living with conviction against the backdrop of the “loneliness crisis,” doomerism, addictive digital technologies and the renewed Gen Z interest in religion. Both workshops will explore their topics with the help of philosophers, journalists and essayists such as Ralph Ellison, Hannah Arendt and Susan Sontag, initiating students into an ongoing conversation with thinkers past and present about the perennial questions of public life.
Students interested in journalism, criticism or any kind of written conversation are encouraged to apply. (If you know any college students who might be interested, go ahead and forward this email!)Click here to fill out the application—there’s no application fee. Applications are due March 6th.
We will be hosting two information sessions with more details about the Summer Workshop and the application process—on Tuesday, February 3rd at 11 a.m. ET and Wednesday, February 11th at 3 p.m. ET. Sign up here to learn more.
To stay up to date on future programming, join our Public Thinking newsletter, and for more about the program and the workshops, check out our FAQ.
