SUNY-Geneseo: Freedom of Speech and Its Skeptics

On February 10, 2022, the Forum on Constitutionalism and Democracy at SUNY-Geneseo held a virtual discussion with faculty partner Lorraine Pangle on freedom of speech: This lecture surveys both the case for free speech, grounded in the classical liberal principles that guided the founding of the United States and its universities, and the strongest contemporary […]

Jacksonville State University: Lucy Williams on “Civil Rights Exceptionalism”

The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, held a virtual presentation and Q&A with Lucy Williams: The Tocqueville Lecture Series is excited to host Dr. Lucy Williams (BYU). Her presentation, “Civil Rights Exceptionalism” examines how the Supreme Court engages and uses the rhetoric of American exceptionalism in its civil rights […]

Princeton: Our Dear-Bought Liberty

On February 17, 2022, the James Madison Program at Princeton University hosted JMC fellow Michael Breidenbach for a discussion of his recent book, Our Dear-Bought Liberty, which examines the history of how early American Catholics justified secularism and overcame suspicions of disloyalty, transforming ideas of religious liberty in the process. In colonial America, Catholics were […]

UC-Berkeley: Getting Right with the Original 14th Amendment

On February 22, 2022, the Public Law and Policy Program at the University of California, Berkeley hosted Randy E. Barnett and Linda Lee Denno for a hybrid in-person/virtual discussion of the Fourteenth Amendment. Tuesday, February 22, 2022 • 12:50 PM PST Berkeley Law, Room 105 • University of California-Berkeley A hybrid in-person/virtual event free and […]

University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Frederick Douglass, the Making of an American

On February 23, 2022, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's Great Works Academic Certificate Program hosted JMC faculty partner Lucas Morel for an in-person/virtual lecture on Frederick Douglass's life and character: Professor Morel will explore how a man who had every reason to hate America became one of the nation’s strongest defenders. Born into slavery, Douglass […]

American University: The Crush of Democracy – Tocqueville and the Egalitarian Mind

On February 24, 2022, the Political Theory Institute at American University hosted JMC fellow Richard Avramenko for a discussion of Tocqueville and equality: Today one hears only about increasing inequality, and it is true in terms of income distribution, but Alexis de Tocqueville argues that equality itself is the source of many of the problems […]

Arizona State University: Racism, Race and the Dignity of our Individuality

On February 25, 2022, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, a JMC partner program, hosted Kmele Foster and Karen Attiah for the third and final discussion in its series, "Can We Talk Honestly About Race?": In the third and final event in the series, co-founder and executive producer […]

UC-Berkeley: Applying the Law of War to 21st Century Warfare

On March 1, 2022, the Public Law and Policy Program at the University of California, Berkeley hosted Col. Winston Williams for a discussion of the law and warfare in the 21st century. Tuesday, March 1, 2022 • 12:50 PM PST LAW Room 105 • University of California-Berkeley Click here to view on Youtube>> Col. Winston […]

Notre Dame: How to Protect Free Speech from Big Tech

On March 24, 2022, the Constitutional Studies Program at the University of Notre Dame hosted Philip Hamburger for a hybrid in-person/virtual discussion of free speech in the age of big tech: One of the preeminent scholars writing today on constitutional law and its history, Philip Hamburger teaches and writes on wide-ranging topics, including religious liberty, […]

American University: Catching Up with Ralph Ellison – The Blackness of Blackness

On March 24, 2022, the Political Theory Institute at American University hosted JMC faculty partner Lucas Morel for a discussion of Ralph Ellison. Thursday, March 24, 2022 • 5:30 PM EDT A virtual event • American University Click here to learn more and register >> Click here to watch on Youtube>>   Lucas Morel is […]

Arizona State University: Lessons Learned and Tough Choices in Public Leadership

On March 29, 2022, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, a JMC partner program, hosted Heather Wilson, the president of University of Texas at El Paso, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force and former New Mexico’s representative in Congress, to share some of the tough lessons she […]

City College of New York: From Theory to Practice – Discussing Danielle Allen’s Run for Governor of Massachusetts

The Colin Powell School at the City College of New York held a virtual discussion with Ryan Balot, Susan McWilliams Barndt (JMC faculty partner), Jamelle Bouie, Simone Chambers, Roosevelt Montás (JMC faculty partner), and Deva Woodly on Professor Danielle Allen's run for governor of Massachusetts: How can Danielle Allen’s scholarship and ongoing political campaign shape […]

University of Nebraska-Omaha: The Original 1619 Project – Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural

On March 30, 2022, the Constitutional Studies Forum at the University of Nebraska-Omaha hosted faculty partner Diana Schaub for a virtual presentation on Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Wednesday, March 30, 2022 • 3:30 PM CDT University of Nebraska-Omaha Click here to learn more and register >> Click here to watch on Youtube>>   Diana […]

SUNY-Geneseo: Against Sophisticated Cynicism – Socrates’ Philosophic Defense of Morality

On March 31, 2022, the Forum on Constitutionalism and Democracy at SUNY-Geneseo held  a virtual discussion with fellow Gregory McBrayer on modern day morality and what Plato can teach us about solving our own moral and political questions: How can a society revive justice when its moral foundations have been shaken by cynicism, sophistry, and […]

Jacksonville State University: Joseph Knippenberg on “Forgetting or Denying ‘The Good, the True, and the Beautiful'”

The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, held a virtual presentation and Q&A with faculty partner Joseph Knippenberg: In this lecture, Dr. Knippenberg will discuss the two most prominent contemporary challenges to the liberal education that should be at the core of everyone’s experience of higher education. Both challenges are […]

Harvard: His Greatest Speeches – How Lincoln Moved the Nation

On April 1, 2022, Harvard University's Program on Constitutional Government will host JMC faculty partner Diana Schaub for a public virtual lecture on Lincoln's greatest speeches. Friday, April 1, 2022 • 12:30 PM EDT Harvard University Free and open to the public. Click here to register >>     Diana Schaub is a Professor of […]

SUNY-Geneseo: What We Talk About When We Talk About Political Speech

On April 8, 2022, the Forum on Constitutionalism and Democracy at SUNY-Geneseo will be holding a virtual discussion with faculty partner Alexander Duff on the place of speech in our common life: Contemporary questions about the place of speech in our common life are sometimes articulated as though speech is violence and therefore violence is […]

Arizona State University: Is the Goal of the University to Pursue Knowledge or Social Justice?

On April 13, 2022, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, a JMC partner program, will host faculty partner John Tomasi, inaugural president of Heterodox Academy, to discuss trends in higher education: For over a thousand years, the traditional purpose of a university has been the pursuit of truth, […]

University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Honesty and Optimism – A Talk on Slavery and Racism

On April 27, 2022, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's Great Works Academic Certificate Program will host JMC fellow Adam Seagrave for an in-person/virtual lecture on slavery and racism: Professor Adam Seagrave of Arizona State University will give a talk combining a strong statement on the evils of slavery and racism in general, and American slavery […]

Christendom: Machiavelli and His Impact on Modern Politics

On May 20, 2022, the Christendom College will be hosting a lecture on Machiavelli with JMC fellow Joseph Brutto. The lecture will be broadcast online for those who wish to attend virtually: The use of the term Machiavellian has become synonymous with deceit and corruption in politics. But what did Machiavelli actually teach? In this […]

Jacksonville State University: Disinformation and the Threat to Democracy

The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, will hold a hybrid in-person/virtual presentation and Q&A with Brandon Stewart on "Disinformation and the Threat to Democracy": The Tocqueville Lecture Series is excited to host Dr. Brandon Stewart (Troy University). His presentation, "Disinformation and the Threat to Democracy" examines how hostile foreign […]

Benedictine College: The End of the Beginning – Dobbs and the Future of Abortion in America

On November 1, 2022, the Center for Constitutional Liberty at Benedictine College will host Nikolas T. Nikas for a discussion of the legal and constitutional landscape following the Supreme Court’s recent Dobbs decision. Tuesday, November 1, 2022 • 7:00 PM CDT McAllister Board Room • Benedictine College Click here to attend virtually >>     […]

University of Nevada-Las Vegas: Thinking about Reparations

On November 2, 2022, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's Great Works Academic Certificate Program will host JMC faculty partner Andrew Delbanco for a virtual lecture on reparations. Wednesday, November 2, 2022 • 4:00 PM PDT A virtual lecture • University of Nevada-Las Vegas Free and open to the public. Those interested in attending should email […]

Jacksonville State University: A Discussion of Douglass’s Remarkable 1876 Eulogy of Lincoln

The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, will hold a hybrid in-person/virtual presentation and Q&A with Richard Ruderman on "Douglass’s Remarkable 1876 Eulogy of Lincoln": Why does Frederick Douglass remain such a challenge—to so many people across the political spectrum—today? In the summer of 2020, a statue of Frederick Douglass […]