About

Welcome to Discourse, an online journal of politics, economics and culture published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Discourse is dedicated first and foremost to discourse, to the idea that good thinking and good ideas arise amid the interplay of different viewpoints and perspectives. Discourse is also dedicated to promoting and defending time-tested liberal values with new and innovative thinking.

At a time when many of the liberal ideas that help undergird American society are under attack from different sides, our editors and writers aim to use calm reason and provocative thinking to move our society back in a more open and tolerant direction. With this in mind, we seek to lead by example, embracing humility as well as intellectual honesty and rigor in our editorial policies. And in the spirit of discourse, we also strive to publish a diversity of voices, serving our readers by promoting friendly competition and challenge among our writers.

At the same time, our work remains grounded in the very ideas that have allowed generations of Americans to obtain greater freedom and prosperity. These beliefs—which include freedom of speech, thought and worship; open and free markets; pluralism and tolerance; and limited government and a respect for civil society—will always be vigorously defended in our pages.

We hope that you enjoy Discourse and that our work helps spark new thinking and new conversations. For a limited time, new subscribers will receive a free digital copy of Discourse’s Abundance Agenda print edition, which contains some of the best essays from our recent series looking at the benefits of economic and social abundance.

And please feel free to join the discourse and let us know your thoughts by sending a letter to the editor. We’d love to hear from you about everything from your views on the articles we have published to your suggestions for articles we should run in the future.