DURHAM, N.C. -- Bloomberg columnist Megan McArdle and New York Times columnist Ross Douthat will discuss the future of conservatism during a free, public event Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Duke University.

“Conservatism in the Age of Trump” begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Fleishman Commons at the Sanford School of Public Policy; a reception will follow. Parking is available in the Science Drive visitor’s lot.

McArdle said she and Douthat will discuss how the 2016 campaign and the election of President Trump represented an earthquake for Republicans and conservatives, opening up issues that had been thought closed, and revealing deep fissures between the party's base and elites. They will discuss whether the Republican Party can heal itself and what it means to be a conservative in the age of Trump.

Highlight for Basic Page More about the speakers Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg columnist. She writes about business, economics and public policy. Since 2009, Ross Douthat has been an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, where he covers politics, religion, moral values and higher education.

McArdle, a columnist at Bloomberg View who writes about business, economics and public policy, is serving as the Pamela and Jack Egan Visiting Professor at the Sanford School and at Duke’s Trinity School of Arts & Sciences for the 2017-2018 school year. Prior to Bloomberg View, she worked for Newsweek, The Atlantic and The Daily Beast.

Since 2009, Douthat has been an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, where he covers politics, religion, moral values and higher education. His most recent book, “Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics,” was published in 2012. Previously, he was a senior editor at The Atlantic.

“Donald Trump's populist and nationalist rhetoric, as well as his personal style, have created a breach between his supporters and traditional conservative elites,” said Frederick “Fritz” Mayer, professor at the Sanford School and director of POLIS: The Center for Political Leadership, Innovation, and Service. “As two of the most thoughtful commentators on the American political scene, McArdle and Douthat are well positioned to help us understand the schism.”

The 2017-2018 Pamela and Jack Egan Visiting Professor at Duke University is awarded to a journalist, writer or commentator of distinction in a field related to media and contemporary issues. McArdle is the second Egan Visiting Professor, after Washington Post op-ed columnist Michael Gerson.

The lecture is hosted by the Sanford School of Public Policy, the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy, and POLIS.