Graduate Conference in Political Theory and Constitutional Studies
The first annual Notre Dame Graduate Conference in Political Theory and Constitutional Studies will take place on May 3, 2024 on-campus at the University of Notre Dame. The conference will feature a series of paper presentations by PhD students from programs across the world, with individualized comments provided by Notre Dame graduate student discussants and faculty.
We are also excited to announce that Dr. Bryan Garsten, Professor of Political Science and Humanities at Yale University, will give the keynote address for the conference. His work addresses a broad range of topics including representative government, politics and religion, and the role of emotion in politics. His forthcoming book The Heart of a Heartless World examines the ethical, political and religious core of early nineteenth-century liberalism in the United States and France.
We invite paper submissions from current PhD students in relevant fields. Please find our call for abstracts here. Abstracts are due on January 14, 2024 at midnight EST. The entire conference is free and open to the public.
Please find the final schedule for the conference below. All events will take place on Friday, May 3rd in 1030 Jenkins Nanovic Halls. Each paper can be accessed by clicking on its title below.
8:30 – 9:00 am: Breakfast and Welcome
9:00 – 9:50 am: Session I – “Father of Iphigenia and Argive King: An Examination Aristotle’s Account of the Household and City with the Help of Aeschylus,” Carol Kowara, University of Chicago
10:10 – 11:00 am: Session II – “A Meteor Amidst the Ruins: Nietzsche on Decadence," Mathis Bitton, Harvard University
11:20am – 12:10 pm: Session III – “Fugitive Sovereignty: On the Specter of Schmitt in Wolin’s Theory of Democracy,” Quanxin Yang, University of Wisconsin-Madison
12:15 – 1:45 pm: Lunch and Keynote Address – “The Liberalism of Refuge,” Dr. Bryan Garsten, Yale University
2:00 – 2:50 pm: Session IV – “The Chief Magistrate: Executive Power in Light of Hebraic Republicanism,” Daniel Slate, Stanford University
3:10 – 4:00 pm: Session V – “The Constitution Before the Court: Alternatives to ‘Juristocracy’ in the Era of the American Founding,” Angus Brown, University of Cambridge
Please email us with any questions at ptcsconference@nd.edu.