Prague Spring Overview Do you enjoy discussing politics and international affairs with well-read and articulate people? Would you like to find a new group of friends who encourage debating difficult issues? Do you want to learn more from the readings we distribute and the positions of others with a similar intellectual curiosity? Can you add to the conversation, offer insight deeper than a TV sound bite and politely differ from your peers? If so, you are welcome to join Prague Spring, a New York City based political discussion group with over 100 people who have attended our meetings. Each meeting Prague Spring picks one topic, distributes articles and meets in person to discuss the issues over dinner. (The Upcoming Meetings button on the menu bar provides Prague Spring's Calendar.) Our weekly meetings are broken down into small groups so that we have 2 to 4 tables per meeting with 6 - 8 people per table. After dinner, we head to a nearby bar to socialize and talk about anything, not just the topic of the evening. Prague Spring started in the summer of 2003 and just recently completed its 60th meeting. We have covered a broad range of topics including Corporate Control of the Media; Iraq (What Can the U.S. Do Now?); the Paraodox of being Pro Choice and Against the Death Penalty: Assessing the Presidential Candidates; Campaign Finance Reform; How can the Democrats Win Back the South; Free Trade, Fair for Who?; Civil Unions vs. Gay Marriages; American Foreign Policy in Support of Authoritarian Regimes; Illiberal Democracy; Creating a Progressive Agenda; Civil Liberties after 9/11; Education Reform; Argentina and the IMF; Tort Reform; Emerging China; the Coming Global Food and Water Shortage; Immigration and the Effects of Multiculturism on the U.S; Hamas Leader Assassination and the Spiral of Violence; Crime and Punishment; and Intellectual Property, Incentizing Invention vs. Global Needs. In the interest of exploring issues from all angles, we welcome both conservatives and liberals. We have found that party labels are less important than what you actually have to say and how clearly you express yourself. Many of us move switch from left to right and visa versa depending on the issue anyway. Our diverse group of Americans, Asians, Europeans and others come from around the globe. While the age range is typically 25 - 35, we have a number of younger and older regular attendees. Their backgrounds include entrepreneurs, college students, social workers, a management consultant, a former Senate staffer, IT professionals, marketing professionals, graphic designers, a comedian, city employees, an investment banker turned grad student, a fashion production coordinator, attorneys, salespeople, a conference organizer, an amnesty international professional, teachers, activists from the sixties (and today) and many others who have attended. Contact Us Reservation Policy: Attendance requires a $7 deposit to reserve a seat. At the meeting, you will be asked for an additional $10 for a total outlay of $17 that covers attendance plus an Indian dinner special including tax and tip. Unfortunately we have had too many people say they would attend and then not show up because of a lack of any real sense of commitment. Since this prevents other people from attending who might have joined had they received enough notice, we insist on a deposit. We use PayPal which provides you with the ability to pay either by credit card or cash transfer from your bank account. First Time Attendees Deposit Policy: First time attendees will pay the deposit, but will have all but $2 of it applied to their dinner. Free Attendance and Meal for Meeting Organizer: If you would like to help arrange the meeting by choosing the articles and writing the introduction for the e-mail and the website, your deposit will be waived for that and one other meeting and the group will pay for your dinner (up to $10).
Do you enjoy discussing politics and international affairs with well-read and articulate people? Would you like to find a new group of friends who encourage debating difficult issues? Do you want to learn more from the readings we distribute and the positions of others with a similar intellectual curiosity? Can you add to the conversation, offer insight deeper than a TV sound bite and politely differ from your peers? If so, you are welcome to join Prague Spring, a New York City based political discussion group with over 100 people who have attended our meetings.
Each meeting Prague Spring picks one topic, distributes articles and meets in person to discuss the issues over dinner. (The Upcoming Meetings button on the menu bar provides Prague Spring's Calendar.) Our weekly meetings are broken down into small groups so that we have 2 to 4 tables per meeting with 6 - 8 people per table. After dinner, we head to a nearby bar to socialize and talk about anything, not just the topic of the evening.
Prague Spring started in the summer of 2003 and just recently completed its 60th meeting. We have covered a broad range of topics including Corporate Control of the Media; Iraq (What Can the U.S. Do Now?); the Paraodox of being Pro Choice and Against the Death Penalty: Assessing the Presidential Candidates; Campaign Finance Reform; How can the Democrats Win Back the South; Free Trade, Fair for Who?; Civil Unions vs. Gay Marriages; American Foreign Policy in Support of Authoritarian Regimes; Illiberal Democracy; Creating a Progressive Agenda; Civil Liberties after 9/11; Education Reform; Argentina and the IMF; Tort Reform; Emerging China; the Coming Global Food and Water Shortage; Immigration and the Effects of Multiculturism on the U.S; Hamas Leader Assassination and the Spiral of Violence; Crime and Punishment; and Intellectual Property, Incentizing Invention vs. Global Needs.
In the interest of exploring issues from all angles, we welcome both conservatives and liberals. We have found that party labels are less important than what you actually have to say and how clearly you express yourself. Many of us move switch from left to right and visa versa depending on the issue anyway.
Our diverse group of Americans, Asians, Europeans and others come from around the globe. While the age range is typically 25 - 35, we have a number of younger and older regular attendees. Their backgrounds include entrepreneurs, college students, social workers, a management consultant, a former Senate staffer, IT professionals, marketing professionals, graphic designers, a comedian, city employees, an investment banker turned grad student, a fashion production coordinator, attorneys, salespeople, a conference organizer, an amnesty international professional, teachers, activists from the sixties (and today) and many others who have attended.
Contact Us
Reservation Policy: Attendance requires a $7 deposit to reserve a seat. At the meeting, you will be asked for an additional $10 for a total outlay of $17 that covers attendance plus an Indian dinner special including tax and tip. Unfortunately we have had too many people say they would attend and then not show up because of a lack of any real sense of commitment. Since this prevents other people from attending who might have joined had they received enough notice, we insist on a deposit. We use PayPal which provides you with the ability to pay either by credit card or cash transfer from your bank account.
First Time Attendees Deposit Policy: First time attendees will pay the deposit, but will have all but $2 of it applied to their dinner.
Free Attendance and Meal for Meeting Organizer: If you would like to help arrange the meeting by choosing the articles and writing the introduction for the e-mail and the website, your deposit will be waived for that and one other meeting and the group will pay for your dinner (up to $10).