Cass Sunstein has studied social change closely, and has some ideas about how it relates to the current crisis.

How does social change happen? When do social movements take off? All of a sudden, people are staying at home, wearing masks, keeping their distance from friends and family, and washing their hands a lot. Likewise, sexual harassment was once something that women had to endure; now a movement has risen up against it. White nationalist sentiments, on the other hand, were largely kept out of mainstream discourse; now there is no shortage of media outlets for them. With the help of behavioral economics, psychology, and other fields, Cass Sunstein casts a bright new light on how change happens and how it can be applied to the current Covid-19 crisis.

In this online master class, created exclusively for 92Y, Sunstein focuses on the crucial role of social norms, both new and historical—and on their frequent collapse—and applies these to the current moment. Sunstein is joined by Samantha Power, former US ambassador to the United Nations and cabinet member of the Obama White House, to explore how rapid change can take hold in societies, and how individuals citizens can make a difference. When norms lead people to silence themselves, even an unpopular status quo can persist. Then one day, someone challenges the norm―a child who exclaims that the emperor has no clothes; a woman who says “me too” and long-standing practices fall.

Join us for this unique opportunity to hear from two distinguished former US Government officials on how social change happens and it’s applications on the Covid-19 pandemic.