April 13-14, 2026

A.V. Elliott Conference on Great Books and Ideas:

On Homer and Political Philosophy

Student Panel (4:00pm on April 13)

Shafa Gilani ('28), Amelia James ('29), Riley Kelly ('26), Noah Porter ('27), Isabelle Rueggeberg ('28), Harris Wallace ('27)

4:00pm to 5:30pm in the Mercer Innovation Center

 

Opening Lecture (6:00pm on April 13)

Jenny Strauss Clay (Classics, University of Virginia)

"Zeus's Politics in the Iliad"

6:00pm to 7:15pm in the Mercer Innovation Center

 

Morning Faculty Panel (9:00am on April 14)

Douglas Frame (Hellenic Studies, Harvard University)

"Homer on Leadership"

Andrew Gross (Lyceum Program & Political Science, Clemson Univ.)

"Homer's Inquiry into Politics: On Achilles and the Achaeans in Books 1 through 9 of the Iliad." 

Michael McShane (Philosophy, Univ. of Texas at Arlington)

"Penelope Descends. The Odyssey Begins."

9:00 to 10:30am in the Mercer Innovation Center

 

Morning Lecture (10:45am on April 14)

Gregory Nagy (Classics, Harvard University)

"Toward a Homeric conclusion: Thoughts about Athena as a model for Leadership in Odyssey xxiv"

10:45am to Noon in the Mercer Innovation Center

(this lecture will be delivered remotely)

 

Second Student Panel (1:25pm on April 14)

Landin Cunningham ('29), Alexina Harvey ('28), Amann Patel ('27)

1:25 to 2:15pm in the Mercer Innovation Center

 

Second Faculty Panel (2:30pm on April 14)

Seemee Ali (Humanities and Culture, SMU)

"Eros and Noos in the Iliad"

Maxwell Anthony (Doctoral Student, Teacher's College, Columbia Univ.)

"Phoenix as Educator"

Leonard Muellner (Classical Studies, Brandeis University)

"Formulaic and Narrative Multiforms in Homer"

2:30 to 4:00pm in the Mercer Innovation Center

Closing Faculty Panel (4:15pm on April 14)

Glenn Arbery (Humanities, Wyoming Catholic College)

"Father Zeus and the Armor of Peleus"

Mark Kremer (Politics, Hillsdale College)

"Domestic Disappointment and Homer's Phaeacians"

John Moss (Classics, University of Dallas)

"Caveman: Homer's Cyclops"

4:15 to 5:45pm in the Mercer Innovation Center

 

 

Fall 2025

September 18, 2025

Dennis Rasmussen (Syracuse University, Political Science)

"The Peg-Legged Abolitionist who Wrote the Constitution"

6:00-7:15pm in Willet Auditorium

This event is our 2025 Constitution Day Observance

 

October 22, 2025

Richard Boyd (Georgetown University, Government)

"Rousseau and the Myth of the Nation"

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

 

November 3, 2025

Kimberly Hurd Hale (Coastal Carolina, Political Science)

Dr. Hale will lead a Special Seminar on the political thought of Sarah and Angelina Grimke

6:00pm -- Location TBA

Please Contact Dr. Jordan for more details and to reserve your seat in the Seminar.

 

January 28, 2026

Elizabeth Amato (Gardner-Webb Univ., Political Science)

Dr. Amato will lead a special seminar on the letters of Abigail Adams.

6:00pm -- Ryals Hall, 207

April 8, 2026

Rita Koganzon (Univ. of North Carolina)

"Hating School: American Education Policy and Theory"

6:00pm, Willet Science Center Auditorium