You are here: American University School of Public Affairs Political Theory Institute Home

Political Theory Institute

"The unexamined life is not worth living."
–Socrates

Welcome to PTI

The mission of the Political Theory Institute (PTI) is to encourage the serious study of the great questions of political theory and to bring the insights of political theorists to bear on current issues and events.
Mission Statement

Spring 2024 Events

All events 5:30-7pm EST (except 3/1 is 5:00-6:15pm EST)
Registration is appreciated for each event. Registration links will be posted as each event approaches.

February 5: Hugh Liebert, U.S. Military Academy (West Point), on “Plutarch’s Education for Citizenship.” Kerwin 301. Register.

March 1: Antón Barba-Kay, Deep Springs College, on “A Web of Our Own Making.” Association of Core Texts Keynote Speaker. Kerwin 301.

March 25: Michael Zuckert, University of Notre Dame, emeritus, on “Reading – Really Reading – the Gettysburg Address.” Kerwin 301.

April 4: Lara Schwartz, American University, “Try to Love the Questions: From Debate to Dialogue in Classrooms and Life.” Panel Discussion. Location TBD.

April 25: Lorraine Pangle, University of Texas, on “Aristotle’s Advice for America.” Location TBD.

American University School of Public Affairs

Watch Previous PTI Events

Videos in this playlist

To play a specific video, use the playlist icon in the player or view each video on YouTube.

  1. American University School of Public Affairs

    Cornel West and Robert George Talk About the Purpose of a Liberal Education

  2. American University School of Public Affairs

    "A Web of Our Own Making"

  3. American University School of Public Affairs

    "Plutarch's Education for Citizenship"

  4. American University School of Public Affairs

    “Lincoln's Lyceum Address: Democratic Theory for Citizens.”

  5. American University School of Public Affairs

    "Self Made: Creating Our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians" featuring Tara Isabella Burton

  6. American University School of Public Affairs

    "Sovereign of a Free People: Abraham Lincoln on Respecting Election Results" featuring Jim Read

  7. American University School of Public Affairs

    PTI - A Constitution Day Lecture feat. Johnathan O'Neill

  8. American University School of Public Affairs

    David Bromwich on "Disorder & Doctrine in America"

  9. American University School of Public Affairs

    Teresa Bejan on “Tolerance and Mere Civility”

  10. American University School of Public Affairs

    Eve Fairbanks on “Racial Reconciliation: What Can the United States Learn from South Africa?”

  11. American University School of Public Affairs

    John McWhorter on “Anti-Racism as Practiced Today: A Dissent” with Alan Levine

  12. American University School of Public Affairs

    "Lessons from Walden: Thoreau & the Crisis of American Democracy" w/ Robert Pepperman Taylor

  13. American University School of Public Affairs

    2022 Lincoln Scholars Lecture: “Why You Shouldn’t Want to Rule the World w/ Zena Hitz

  14. American University School of Public Affairs

    Political Theory Institute's The Idea of Decline in Western History

  15. American University School of Public Affairs

    The Political Theory Institute Presents: "Is Patroitism Worth Preserving"

  16. American University School of Public Affairs

    When is Dialogue Damaging? Nietzsche on the Conditions of Creating New Moralities

  17. American University School of Public Affairs

    Catching Up with Ralph Ellison: The Blackness of Blackness

  18. American University School of Public Affairs

    The Crush of Democracy: Tocqueville and the Egalitarian Mind

  19. American University School of Public Affairs

    What is Identity Politics, and Does it Undermine our Liberal Polity?

  20. American University School of Public Affairs

    Why We are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment

  21. American University School of Public Affairs

    Populism, Polarization, and National Identity w/ Francis Fukuyama

  22. American University School of Public Affairs

    What Can We Learn from Political History?: Strauss and Aron on Thucydides

  23. American University School of Public Affairs

    The Political and Constitutional Thought of Alexander Hamilton

  24. American University School of Public Affairs

    Progressivism and the Successor Ideology w/ Author Wesley Yang

  25. American University School of Public Affairs

    What Went Wrong with Modernity? w/ Rémi Brague

  26. American University School of Public Affairs

    Democratizing the Great Books w/ Roosevelt Montas

  27. American University School of Public Affairs

    PTI: The Life and Work of Gertrude Himmelfarb

  28. American University School of Public Affairs

    PTI Event: After the Backlash: Immigration, Populism, and Liberal Nationalism

  29. American University School of Public Affairs

    What is the National Interest? w/ Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster

  30. American University School of Public Affairs

    "Does Conservatism Have a Future in the United States?" w/ Patrick Deneen

  31. American University School of Public Affairs

    Does Socialism Have a Future in the United States? w/ Bhaskar Sunkara

  32. American University School of Public Affairs

    Does the Center Have a Future in the United States?” w/ William Galston, Brookings Institution

  33. American University School of Public Affairs

    Do the Humanities Have a Future? The Liberal Arts Between Technocracy and Radicalism”

  34. American University School of Public Affairs

    Facebook Live: Lincoln Scholar Lecture with Danielle Allen

  35. American University School of Public Affairs

    Free Speech on Campus

  36. American University School of Public Affairs

    Fashion, Identity, and Freedom of Expression w/ Gwenda-lin Grewal

  37. American University School of Public Affairs

    PTI Webinar: Athens’ Plague and Ours

  38. American University School of Public Affairs

    Facebook Live: Immigration, What Should U.S. Policy Be?

Donate to PTI

Donate to support the Political Theory Institute.

Donate

Politics and Humanities

Politics and the Humanities is a podcast hosted by Tom Merrill (SPA Government) and Sarah Marsh (CAS Literature) on books, ideas, and liberal education.

Learn More & Listen

2018 Students

The Political Theory Institute prepares students for a diverse array of graduate programs and career paths.

Jonathan Rauch's Top Ten Reasons Not to Silence Speech

Jonathan Rauch's Top Ten Reasons Not to Silence Speech

Mailing List

Stay up to date with news & events from the Political Theory Institute.

Sign Up

Civil War Cannon

Research ·

Professors Link Relevance of Civil War to Political Debate Today

Read More

Donate to PTI

Donate to support the Political Theory Institute.

Donate