Kellogg Center to host American legal scholar for annual lecture
A well-known American legal scholar will discuss potential pathways to reform democracy in the United States this month at Virginia Tech.
On March 26, Bruce Ackerman, the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, will deliver the 2025 PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) Distinguished Public Lecture. His lecture is titled, “Rebuilding Our Shattered Democracy: A Race Against Time.”
“We are excited about this timely lecture with one of the foremost scholars of the U.S. Constitution,” said Michael Moehler, director of the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. “The U.S. is a constitutional democracy and republic. As such, if one considers fundamental reforms to society, it is essential to understand the relationship between governance processes that allow such change and accountability to the people.”
The lecture will be at 5 p.m. in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre at the Moss Arts Center. It is free and open to the public, and a reception will be held after the event.
The Kellogg Center established the annual lecture series eight years ago. Each year, it features a renowned scholar of international reputation.
Ackerman is the author of 19 books covering topics in political philosophy, constitutional law, and public policy. His three-volume series, “We the People,” presents Ackerman’s view of the constitution as belonging to the people.
He is a member of the American Law Institute, and he is internationally recognized as a commander of the French Order of Merit. His ideas have been used for reform in countries such as Brazil and Great Britain.
“Professor Ackerman has thought deeply about the law, democracy, and society, and his ideas have had significant real-world impact,” Moehler said. “This lecture should be of interest to everyone who cares about society in a polarized world.”
The Kellogg Center represents a partnership between the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and the College of Science. The lecture’s past guest speakers include MacArthur Fellow Elizabeth Anderson, award-winning cultural theorist Kwame Anthony Appiah, Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen, New York Times bestselling author Dan Ariely, award-winning British historian Adam Tooze, and Nobel Prize winner Esther Duflo.
Written by Brooke Van Beuren, communications intern with the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
