Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 4:00pm - 6:00pm Salomon 101 Speakers: Jose Casanova and Mark Lilla What is the role of religion in public life, particularly in pluralistic, democratic societies? Should religion and politics be separated? What role should government have in regulating religion? Does a cohesive society need religion? Those who argue against any state use of religion claim that such mention of faith, for ceremonial purposes or otherwise, can have the effect of draining religion...

Thursday, November 19, 2009 - 4:00pm Salomon 101 Speakers: Lani Guinier & Jim Sleeper In her now-infamous speech to the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor declared, "Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences ... our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging." Sotomayor’s statement reinvigorated a national discussion regarding the issue of minority representation in...

Thursday, October 8, 2009 - 4:00pm Salomon 001 Speakers: Marcia Angell, Mary Ruwart The pharmaceutical industry is an important part of the United States health care system, politics, and economy. But what are the responsibilities of these companies to the well-being of people in need of medicines both in the US and abroad? How should public grants and research facilities like the NIH affect the licensing of drugs? Speakers: Marcia Angell, M.D. is the author of The Truth about Drug...

The lead attorneys from the DC v Heller decision discuss the case. Sponsored by the Political Theory Project at Brown University. Featuring Joseph Blocher and Alan Gura. District of Columbia v. Heller upheld the second amendment right to possess a firearm for private use. It is considered a landmark case because it was the first time since 1939 (United States v. Miller) the court directly addressed the right to own firearms as an individual right as opposed to one that applied only to state...