April 14-15, 2025

AV Elliott Conference on Great Books and Ideas

Reconsidering Benjamin Franklin

Student Panel (4:00pm on April 14)

Baran Alp Aydin ('28), Joshua Eardey ('27), Riley Kelly ('26), Charlie Lovern ('27), Emma Page ('25), Harris Wallace ('27)

4:00-5:30 pm in the Presidents Dining Room of the University Center

Opening Lecture (6:00pm on April 14)

Sheila L. Skemp (History, Univ. of Mississippi)

"Benjamin Franklin: American"

6:00-7:15pm in the Presidents Dining Room of the University Center

Morning Lecture (9:00am on April 15)

Lorraine Pangle (Government, University of Texas)

"Franklin's Moral Philosophy at 300: A Friendly Reassessment"

9:00-10:15am in the Connell Student Center, Conference Room I

Faculty Panel I: Franklin and Modernity (10:45am on April 15)

Nolan Bennett (Political Science, Cal Poly)

"The Imperfect Independence of Franklin's Autobiography"

Joyce Chaplin (History, Harvard University)

"Benjamin Franklin's Republic of Science"

Kevin Slack (Politics, Hillsdale College)

"On Benjamin Franklin's Maxims for Political Growth"

10:45am-12:15pm in Connell Student Center, Conference Room I

Faculty Panel II:  Franklin on Religion and History (2:30pm)

Steven Forde (Political Science, University of North Texas)

"Benjamin Franklin's Religion"

Nicholas Higgins (Political Science, North Greenville Univ.)

"'On earth as it is in heaven?' Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield on Human Perfectability"

Geoffrey Kellow (Humanities, Carleton University)

"The Great Aim and End of all Learning: The place of history in Franklin's Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania"

2:30pm-4:00pm in Connell Student Center, Conference Room I

 

Faculty Panel III: Franklin and Education (4:30pm on April 15)

Timothy Brennan (Political Philosophy, Univ. of Austin)

"Franklin on the Problem of Liberal Education"

Joseph Knippenberg (Politics, Oglethorpe Univ.)

"Franklin and Tocqueville on Liberal and Civic Education"

Adam Nelson (Educational Policy, Univ. of Wisconsin)

"Benjamin Franklin and the Economy of Higher Education in Early America"

4:30pm-6:00pm in Connell Student Center, Conference Room I

 

 

Past Events:

September 16, 2024

James Read (Political Science, College of St. Benedict and St. John's)

"'Time, Discussion, and the Ballot Box': Lincoln's Response to Secession"

6:00pm in the Presidents' Dining Room of the University Center

Our 2024 Constitution Day Observance

 

October 9, 2024

Andrea Radasanu (Political Science, Northern Illinois University)

"Montesquieu on Modern Liberty and Empire"

6:00pm in the President's Dining Room of the University Center

 

October 30, 2024

Cara Rogers Stevens (History, Ashland University)

"Thomas Jefferson and the Fight Against Slavery"

6:00pm in Willet Hall Auditorium

 

February 26, 2025

John Boles (History, Rice University)

"Reconsidering Jefferson for Our Time"

6:00pm in Willet Hall Auditorium

 

March 19, 2025

Jane Calvert (History, University of Kentucky)

"John Dickinson and the Creation of American Independence"

6:00pm in the Presidents' Dining Room of the University Center