There was a time when it was a fairly commonly held notion that humans could make and re-make our world through collective action according to our political beliefs. In spite of the enthusiasm of the Obama Phenomenon, which is an exciting development, there is still a broader sense of disengagement and isolation. Our aim at The NY Salon is to help create a new space for critical public debate.

We have taken our inspiration from the Parisian-style Salons that held passionate debates—and from which sprung ideas that transformed the landscape of our world. We are unique insofar as a key part of our events is thrown open to the audience, with only short introductions from our speakers. We firmly believe that the audience has a great deal to contribute to shaping our understanding and it is this very real to and fro that leads to stimulating and lively reflections on where we are—and what we may decide to do about it.

The debate on China, to be held November 25 at the Lincoln Square Barnes & Noble, will consider whether that country’s development is a positive force or one to be wary of. Very few subjects elicit such strong responses from people, whether that is about the changing international role China has, its domestic economic development, democracy and censorship, or the ecological considerations of China’s rapid ascent.

This event, held in collaboration with The Battle of Ideas (UK) and Time Out New York, and will be an exciting one. We encourage you to read our speakers’ papers and engage in this discussion.

—Alan Miller is co-director the NY Salon, nysalon.org

The moral rehabilitation of China-bashing by Brendan O’Neill »