By J. L. Talmon (NHC Fellow, 1978–79; 1979–80) In what may well rank as the finest political and intellectual history of the twentieth century, the late J. L. Talmon explores the origins of the schism within European society between the totalitarians of Right and Left as well as the split between an acceptance of the … Continued
By Israel Gershoni (NHC Fellow, 2004–05) Confronting Fascism in Egypt offers a new reading of the political and intellectual culture of Egypt during the interwar era. Though scholarship has commonly emphasized Arab political and military support of Axis powers, this work reveals that the shapers of Egyptian public opinion were largely unreceptive to fascism, openly rejecting … Continued
By Bryna Goodman (NHC Fellow, 2020–21) On September 8, 1922, the body of Xi Shangzhen was found hanging in the Shanghai newspaper office where she worked. Although her death occurred outside of Chinese jurisdiction, her U.S.-educated employer, Tang Jiezhi, was kidnapped by Chinese authorities and put on trial. In the unfolding scandal, novelists, filmmakers, suffragists, … Continued
Between the 1820s and 1850, as more white males won the right to vote and political parties became more organized, the character of American democracy changed. It became more partisan and more raucous, a turn that bred ambivalence and even discontent with politics and the dominant parties.
In this study of the letters of John Adams and John Quincy Adams from 1774 to 1793, two central themes are highlighted — how Adams unfolded his “curriculum” for citizen leadership, and how his point of view changed from parent-teacher to mentor-guide as John Quincy entered the realm of American political life. To Adams, a … Continued
In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau not only calls for resistance to immoral and unjust government actions, he also criticizes the foundations of representative democracy — majority rule, voting, and representation.
Emotions matter in politics—enthusiastic supporters return politicians to office, angry citizens march in the streets, a fearful public demands protection from the government. The webinar will explore the emotional life of politics, with particular emphasis on how political anxieties affect public life. When the world is scary, when politics is passionate, when the citizenry is … Continued
How did the electorate change between 1800 and the 1830s? How did ideas about who was entitled to membership in the political community change? How did the practice of politics — the rules of the political game — change? Who gained power as the result of these changes? Who lost power? How democratic was the … Continued
Comparisons between ancient Rome and the United States are suddenly all around us. Why, and what do they portend? Right around the time Jesus was born, ancient Rome’s 500-year-old republic failed. Its traditions of representative elections, checks and balances, tolerance, and freedoms of movement and expression were swept away, never to recover. In their place … Continued
Revealing the misconduct of the powerful is always dangerous. By challenging and exposing corruption, whistleblowers perform a vital public service—yet, historically, they have suffered for it. This seminar will explore the origins and history of whistleblowing in America, tracing the critical role it has played in keeping elites honest and amplifying the voice of the … Continued