The Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture exist to serve faculty, staff, and students of the University of Oklahoma, as well as the Tulsa area community. It was created over a decade ago on the OU-Tulsa campus. The Center is not an academic program, but rather is a resource that promotes global connections by the OU-Tulsa campus and involvement of Oklahoma citizens in important contemporary issues.

To achieve our objectives, we have developed a great variety of activities over the years. Most visible to the Tulsa area community are the public events we sponsor. 

Events organized and sponsored by the Center have often featured important figures who have grown in prominence following their visit to Oklahoma. One example is Henry McLeish, who has been a frequent visitor to the Center over the years. Mr. McLeish first came to Oklahoma when he was a member of the British Parliament, and later rose to serve as a member of the Cabinet under Prime Minister Tony Blair. When Scotland was allowed to reestablish the Scottish Parliament he was elected to that, and eventually rose to serve as First Minister of Scotland (head of government). Mr. McLeish is still a frequent visitor and guest of the Center. Another example is Juan Fernando López Aguilar who came to Oklahoma on a Center sponsored trip when he was a member of the Spanish parliament. A year or so later Mr. López Aguilar was named Justice Minister of Spain.

The Center frequently hosts international visitors, often in partnership with the Tulsa Global Alliance. The Center also maintains active partnerships internationally. Currently, the most active of these involve Mexico, Pakistan, and Brazil. We have a developing relationship with Mozambique in Africa. In the past, we have also been active with partnerships in Spain and Honduras.

The Center has been the home of the Honorary British Consulate in Oklahoma for over a decade.

We are affiliated with the OU Department of Human Relations, where the Director is a professor.