Events

Department Events

Constitution Day 2023
On September 17, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration.  The talk was delivered by Dr. Kimberley Burns,  Assistant Affiliate Professor of Politics, titled "A Canadian Perspective on the US Constitution"

Constitution Day 2022
On September 18, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting off with a BBQ dinner, followed by a talk entitled "A Time to Rejoice. A Time to Reflect" by Dr. David Upham.  The evening wrapped up with singing of patriotic songs.

Constitution Day 2021
The Politics Department held its annual barbecue dinner celebrating Constitution Day on Sunday, September 19^th.   After dinner, an address by Dr. Jonathan Culp, Associate Professor of Politics, titled "Does the Constitution Exist?". The address will be followed by the singing of patriotic American songs. 

Constitution Day 2019
On September 15, 2019, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting off the evening with a BBQ dinner, followed by a talk entitled "You Can't Say That!: Freedom of Speech and the American Constitution" by Dr. Richard Dougherty, and wrapping up the festivities with the singing of patriotic songs. 

"An Integralist Reading of Augustine's City of God Against the Secularists"
On March 27, 2019, Pater Edmund Waldstein—OCist of Heiligenkreuz Abbey and editor of The Josias—presented a guest lecture entitled "An Integralist Reading of Augustine's City of God Against the Secularists." This event was co-sponsored by the Politics Department, the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, and Pro Civitate Dei. You may watch Pater Waldstein's lecture here.

"Constitutionalism and Trumpism"
On March 6, 2019, Dr. Ronald J. Pestritto—Graduate Dean, Politics Professor, and Charles & Lucia Shipley Chair in the American Constitution at Hillsdale College—presented a guest lecture entitled "Constitutionalism and Trumpism." This event was co-sponsored by the Politics Department and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.

Constitution Day 2018
On September 16, 2018, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting the evening with a BBQ dinner, followed by a talk entitled "Is the United States Still a Liberal Democracy?" by Dr. Tiffany Jones Miller, and wrapping up the festivities with the singing of patriotic songs. You may watch Dr. Miller's lecture here.

"The Conservative Revolution in Europe"
On September 4, 2018, Guillaume de Thieulloy—editor of Le Salon Beige and staffer in the French Senate—presented a guest lecture entitled "The Conservative Revolution in Europe." This event was co-sponsored by the Politics Department, the Modern Languages Department, and the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.

Scalia Speaks Lecture
On March 7, 2018, Edward Whelan, President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, gave a lecture on Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and Life Well Lived, a compilation of essays by the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The event was co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Politics Department, and the APPI.

Talk by Fr. Carlos Hamel
On November 7, 2017, Fr. Carlos Hamel FSJC spoke about the transnational Catholic apostolate in Latin America, the United States, and France.

"In Pursuit of Solidarity in the Age of Trump"
On October 23, 2017, Dr. Yuval Levin—Vice President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Former White House staffer and member of the President's Bioethics Council, and author of The Fractured Republic: Renewing America's Social Contract in the Age of Individualism—presented a lecture entitled "In Pursuit of Solidarity in the Age of Trump." Dr. Levin also led a Brown Bag Lunch meeting on "Careers and Internships in D.C."

Constitution Day 2017
On September 17, 2017, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting the evening with a BBQ dinner, followed by a talk entitled "What Makes Freedom of Religion Different From Freedom of Speech?" by Dr. Daniel Burns, and wrapping up the festivities with the singing of patriotic songs. You may watch Dr. Burn's lecture here.

"What Makes Pope Benedict XVI Special?"
On April 26, 2017, there was a panel in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's 90th birthday. The panel featured Dr. Irene Alexander of the Theology Department, Dr. Daniel Burns of the Politics Department, Fr. Roch Kereszty of the Theology Department, and Dr. Matthew Walz of the Philosophy Department, and was moderated by Dr. Ronnie Rombs of the Theology Department. Birthday cake was served.

"A Practical Moral Vision for the American Economy"
On March 24, 2017, Fr. Joseph W. Koterski, S.J.—a professor of philosophy from Fordham University who specializes in the history of medieval philosophy and natural law ethics—gave a lecture entitled "A Practical Moral Vision for the American Economy." This event was part of the 3rd Annual Scherer Lecture Conference and was organized and sponsored by the APPI.

An Informal Conversation with Dr. Robert George
Dr. Robert George, the well-known legal scholar and professor from Princeton University, met with UD undergraduate and graduate students in a series of seminars that took place from February 15 to February 17, 2017. The seminars were organized by Dr. Christopher Wolfe of the Politics Department and Dr. Susan Hanssen of the History Department and sponsored by the APPI.

"'Religious Liberty' or 'A License to Discriminate'"
On February 7, 2017, Dr. Ryan Anderson—the William E. Simon senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation and the founder and editor of Public Discourse, the online journal of the Witherspoon Institute of Princeton, New Jersey—gave a lecture entitled "'Religious Liberty' or 'A License to Discriminate.'"

"Why the Humanities?"
On January 31, 2017, businessman, professor, and author, Don Drakeman spoke about the importance of the humanities. The lecture was sponsored by the APPI.

Pizza and Movie Night
On December 7, 2016, students came together to eat pizza and watch "Liberating a Continent: John Paul II and the Fall of Communism."

Samuel Gregg Visit
On November 2, 2016, Dr. Samuel Gregg of the Acton Institute gave a lecture entitled "Catholic Social Teaching: New Directions and Old Problems in the 21st Century." Dr. Gregg also led a seminar on the same topic with a group of graduate students. These events were sponsored by the Politics Department and the APPI.

Voting as a Catholic
On October 17, 2016, there was a faculty round-table on the topic: "Faithful Citizenship: How does a Catholic Vote?" where they discussed the basic moral principles that a Catholic citizen should bring to the ballot box. The panelists included Dr. Irene Alexander of the Theology Department, Dr. John Norris of the Theology Department, Dr. Ted Whapham, Dean of the Neuhoff Institute for Ministry & Evangelization, and Dr. Christopher Wolfe of the Politics Department. The panel was moderated by Dr. Daniel Burns of the Politics Department.

Constitution Day 2016
On September 18, 2016, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting the evening with a BBQ dinner, followed by a talk entitled "What Does 2016 Have To Do With 1787?" by Dr. Jonathan Culp, and wrapping up the festivities with the singing of patriotic songs. You may watch Dr. Culp's lecture here.

"The Vocation of the Business Leader"
On September 15, 2016, the noted business ethicist, Dr. Michael J. Naughton, gave a lecture entitled "The Vocation of the Business Leader." Dr. Naughton is the holder of the Koch Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) and the author and editor of nine books and over 40 articles. This event was sponsored by the Politics Department and the APPI.

"The Vindication of St. Thomas"
On March 18, 2016, Dr. Alfred J. Freddoso—the John and Jean Oesterle Professor of Thomistic Studies at the University of Notre Dame—gave a talk in which he argued that, fifty years after the overthrow of Thomistic Scholasticism in Catholic intellectual life, we are now witnessing a surprising revival of Aristotelianism and Thomism. This event was part of the 2nd Annual Scherer Lecture Conference and was organized and sponsored by the APPI.

Conversation on Economic Inequality
On November 6, 2015, there was a roundtable on economic inequality in which panelists discussed the following questions: How much inequality is there in America? What are its causes? What sorts of inequality are undesirable? How should America respond to current forms and levels of inequality? Dr. Christopher Wolfe served as moderator. Panelists included William Galston, Michael Greve, and Ross Douthat. Galston holds a chair at the Brookings Institution and is a Wall Street Journal columnist. He formerly taught at the University of Texas and the University of Maryland and also served as deputy assistant for domestic politics to U.S. President Bill Clinton. Greve is a professor at George Mason University Law School. Previously, he served as Director of the Federalism Project at the American Enterprise Institute. Douthat has been a New York Times columnist since 2009. Before joining the Times, he was a senior editor at The Atlantic. His published books include Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (2012) and Grand New Party (2008) with Reihan Salam. This event was sponsored by the APPI.

"Why It Takes a Village to Battle the State"
On September 23, 2015, Timothy P. Carney—reporter, columnist, and editor at the Washington Examiner and visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute—gave a lecture entitled "Why It Takes a Village to Battle the State."

Constitution Day 2015
On September 20, 2015, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, starting the evening with a BBQ dinner, followed by a public address entitled "Marriage and Our Constitution: Something Old, Something New" by Dr. David Upham, and finishing the night with the singing of patriotic songs. You may watch Dr. Upham's address here.

"Love and Marriage"
On March 27, 2015, Brad Wilcox—Director of the National Marriage Project, professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, and a member of the James Madison Society at Princeton University—gave a lecture entitled "Love and Marriage: How Research Shows that Marriage Remains the Best Path to Happiness for Men, Women, and Children." This event was part of the 1st Annual Scherer Lecture Conference and was organized and sponsored by the APPI.

"Rule by Law or by Executive Fiat?"
On March 19, 2015, Dr. Ronald J. Pestritto—Dean of the graduate school and professor of politics at Hillsdale College—gave a lecture entitled "Rule by Law or by Executive Fiat? How Agencies Govern Without Consent."

Constitution Day 2014
On September 21, 2014, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration, beginning the festivities with a BBQ dinner, followed by a public address entitled "The constitution and the Constitution" by Dr. Christopher Wolfe, and ending with the singing of some well-known and some lesser-known patriotic songs. You may watch Dr. Wolfe's address here.

"Shakespeare's 'Jewish' Play"
On March 21, 2014, Dr. Martin Yaffe from the University of North Texas gave a lecture at the University of Dallas entitled, "Shakespeare's 'Jewish' Play." Dr. Yaffe responded to the criticism that Shakespeare's depiction of Shylock was intended and perceived as a defamation of Jews generally, addressing the three most shocking moments in The Merchant of Venice in turn. To view his lecture, please go here.

"Machiavelli's Verita Effetuale"
On February 7, 2014, Dr. Harvey Mansfield gave a lecture entitled, "Machiavelli's Verita Effetuale." To view the lecture, please go here.

Dr. Mansfield is a long-time, distinguished professor of Government at Harvard and has visited the University of Dallas several times; in fact, he was UD's McDermott Lecturer in 1984. The breadth of his teaching, speaking, and writing has established him as one of the leading scholars in political philosophy. Dr. Mansfield has written many books on a variety of topics and completed several popular translations, among which are both Machiavelli's "Discourses on Livy" and "The Prince."

"Tocqueville's Ancient Modern Liberty"
On November 8, 2013, Dr. Steven Forde of the University of North Texas gave a lecture entitled "Tocqueville's Ancient Modern Liberty." The panel presentations were followed by an audience Q & A. The event was generously funded by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. For a video of the talk, please go here.

Constitution Day 2013
On Sunday, September 15, 2013, the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration with a BBQ dinner, a talk by Professor Richard Dougherty entitled, "Who Owns the Constitution?", and some well- and lesser-known patriotic songs. A video of the lecture is available.

"Virtue and the Citizen"
On April 19, 2013, the University of Dallas Politics Department held a faculty panel discussion on the topic of "Virtue and the Citizen." Discussants included Dr. David Upham (on civic virtue and the Founders), Dr. Daniel Burns (on Christianity and the citizen), Dr. Tiffany Jones Miller (on the Progressive transformation of civic virtue), and Dr. Richard Dougherty (on contemporary citizenship). The panel presentations were followed by a Q&A session. The event was sponsored by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. For a video of the talk, please go here.

"E Pluribus Unum: Friends, Citizens, and Free Thinkers in the Ancient City"
On Friday, March 22, 2013, the Politics Department hosted Dr. Susan Collins of the Universities of Houston and Notre Dame for this lecture, followed by a reception. The event was sponsored by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. For a video of the talk, please go here.

"Thoughts on the State of Our Union"
On Thursday, November 8, 2012, the Politics Department hosted a roundtable discussion reflecting on the results and significance of the 2012 elections. For a video of the talk, please go here.

"NFIB v. Sebelius and the Liberal Arts Education"
On Friday, October 19, 2012, the Politics Department hosted Professor Eric Claeys, a professor of law at the School of Law at George Mason University. Mr. Claeys' scholarship focuses on American property and constitutional law, and particularly on the influence of American natural-law/natural-rights theory on the law.

This lecture was sponsored by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.

Constitution Day 2012
On Sunday, September 16, 2012,  the Politics Department hosted its annual Constitution Day celebration with a BBQ dinner, a talk by Professor Leo Paul de Alvarez entitled, "What Constitution Have We?", and some well- and lesser-known patriotic songs. The video is available here.

"Three Visions of Excellence: Louise Cowan, Leo Strauss, and Jacob Klein on Liberal Education"
This lecture by Professor Christopher Lynch was given on March 22, 2012. For more information, and a video recording of the lecture, please click here.

This lecture was sponsored by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.

"Rhetoric in America: Liberty, Anarchy, and Statesmanship"
A faculty roundtable including Professors Leo Paul de Alvarez, Richard Dougherty, Tiffany Miller, David Upham, and Jonathan Culp. The roundtable, followed by a reception, was held on December 1, 2011.

This roundtable was sponsored by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation.

"'Through the Keyhole': Leo Strauss' Rediscovery of Classical Political Philosophy in Xenophon's Constitution of the Spartans"
On November 9, 2011, the Politics Department sponsored this presentation by Professor Richard Ruderman. It was part of the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation Lecture Series.

"Roe's Crumbling Castle"
On Tuesday, September 20, 2011, the University of Dallas Department of Politics and S.P.U.D. sponsored a presentation by Mr. Ramesh Ponnuru entitled, "Roe's Crumbling Castle." Ponnuru is a senior editor at National Review and is author of The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life (2006).

Constitution Day 2011
On September 18th, 2011, the Politics Department hosted its annual BBQ dinner in celebration of the Constitution. Professor Tiffany Jones Miller gave an address entitled, "America in Crisis: What Ails Our Body Politic?" and afterward, there was the singing of patriotic songs.

Ancients and Moderns: Did Leo Strauss Exaggerate the Break?
On April 1, 2011, there was a Faculty Roundtable, featuring Dr. Leo Paul de Alvarez, Dr. Jonathan Culp, Dr. Richard Dougherty, Dr. Tiffany Jones Miller, Dr. David Upham, and Dr. Thomas G. West. The event was sponsored by the BGSA and the Koch Charitable Foundation. A video of the event can be found here.

"The End of Marriage"
On March 30, 2011, Dr. Christopher Wolfe, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Marquette University, gave a lecture entitled "The End of Marriage."

Aristophanes' Critique of the Gods
On March 18, 2011, Dr. Wayne Ambler from the Herbst Program of Humanities for Engineers at the University of Colorado at Boulder gave a lecture on Aristophanes' critique of the gods.

Aristophanes' famous comedy Clouds presents a rollicking and raunchy but also profound critique of Socrates, a critique to which Plato had his Socrates respond in the Apology. But while the Clouds takes Socrates to task especially for his apparent atheism, Aristophanes' plays are themselves hardly reflective of conventional piety toward Zeus and his Olympian colleagues; and three of Aristophanes' eleven surviving plays -- Peace, Wealth and especially Birds -- feature mortal heroes who find fault with Zeus, challenge his authority, and even prove victorious over him. Dr. Ambler explored Aristophanes' hilariously radical, but yet not atheistic, critique of the gods in these three comedies.

Progressivism and the Rise of the Western: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Students came together to watch John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance on December 1st, 2010. There were a few introductory remarks before the movie, and afterward, there was a Q&A session with Dr. Thomas West on the connection between the Progressive movement and the rise of the Western as a movie genre.

"Is Man the Measure of All Things? Plato's Analysis of Relativism"
On November 19, 2010, Dr. Matthew K. Davis of St. John's College, Santa Fe gave a lecture entitled "Is Man the Measure of All Things? Plato's Analysis of Relativism." This event was sponsored by the Braniff Graduate Student Association (BGSA).

2010 Midterm Elections: What Do the Results Mean for America?
On November 5, 2010, there was a post-election roundtable with panelists Dr. Jonathan Culp, Dr. Richard Dougherty, Dr. Tiffany Miller, Dr. David Upham, and Dr. Thomas West.

Alexis de Tocqueville's Ancient Modern Liberty
On October 29, 2010, Dr. Steven Forde, a professor of political science at the University of North Texas, gave a lecture entitled "Alexis de Tocqueville's Ancient Modern Liberty." A video of the lecture may be found here.