'What the Constitution Means to Us'
The 艾可直播 College community will commemorate Constitution and Citizenship Day鈥攁 federal observance honoring the signing of the United States Constitution鈥攐n September 17 by sharing their perspectives on the nation鈥檚 founding document at the fifth annual 鈥淲hat the Constitution Means to Us鈥� event hosted by the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy.
Doris Kearns Goodwin (Annie Liebovitz)
Co-sponsored by the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics, this year鈥檚 event鈥攚hich takes place from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Robsham Theater Arts Center鈥攚ill bring together BC faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and nationally recognized scholars Doris Kearns Goodwin H鈥�25 and Akhil Reed Amar for a public discussion on the Constitution and its centrality to public life. Goodwin is a renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize recipient; Amar is a professor of law and political science at Yale University and author of Born Equal: Remaking America鈥檚 Constitution, 1840鈥�1920.
Akhil Reed Amar (Harold Shapiro)
鈥淲e are delighted to have two of the sharpest observers of the American political experience on hand to lead this year鈥檚 edition of 鈥榃hat the Constitution Means to Us,鈥欌�� said Professor of Political Science Jonathan Laurence, director of the Clough Center. 鈥淥ver the past several years, the campus conversation has been enriched by the contributions of dozens of students, faculty, and guest speakers who have shared their views with us through this event and the oral histories we publish on the Clough Center website.鈥�
This year鈥檚 event is particularly timely, as discussions over constitutional interpretation continue to play a significant role in American politics and society. The evening will host an array of conversations, debates, and reflections aimed at encouraging thoughts and answers to questions such as, 鈥淗ow should we look at the Constitution?鈥� and 鈥淪hould the Constitution be amended again?鈥�
The Constitution has long served as a source of both hope and controversy, say event organizers, and the reflections that take place each year will serve as a historical record of how people understood the Constitution鈥檚 laws and framework at different moments in history, and how they endured despite societal challenges.
The program is free and open to the public with registration at the event website.聽