Public Scholars

From the Center's earliest years, we have showcased the University's most exciting scholars in our Public Scholar lecture series.  Many of the Public Scholar lectures have been published (in slightly revised form) as Occasional Papers of the Center.  Click here for a list of past Public Scholar lectures. 

All events are free and open to the public. 

upcoming public scholar lectures

April 7, 2009 Professor Mark McPhail, Chair, Division of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Meadows School of the Arts, will speak on the political rhetoric of reparations.  Umphrey Lee Ballroom (map). 
11:30 a.m. - heavy hors d'oeuvres
12 noon - 1:00 p.m. - lecture 
Fall semester, 2009 Professor Jenia Turner, SMU/Dedman School of Law, will speak on international criminal law.   Umphrey Lee Ballroom (map).
11:30 a.m. - heavy hors d'oeuvres
12 noon - 1:00 p.m. - lecture
   

Past Public Scholar Lectures

1996-1997 James Hopkins: "The Private and Public Intellectual in the World and the Academy"
1997-1998 Michael Holahan: "'Look, her lips': Softness of Voice, Construction of Character in King Lear"

Bonnie Wheeler: "Pilgrimage and the Desire for Meaning"
1998-1999 Joseph Allen: "Politics as a Calling"

Steven Sverdlik: "Compassion and Sympathy as Moral Motivation"
1999-2000 Alastair Norcross: "Social Contract Theory and the Ethical Status of Animals"

Peter Winship: "Legislating Morals: Legal Prescriptions of Proper Business Behavior"
2000-2001 Jeffrey Gaba: "When Takings Happen to Good People: The Ethical Basis for Legal Rules Allowing Government Regulation of Land Use"

William May: "The Media: The Unordained Teaching Authority in the West"
2001-2002 Rebekah Miles: "The Ethics of Balancing Work and Family, In and Out of The Home in America"

Matthew Wilson: "Religion and Politics in America"
2002-2003 Kathleen Wellman: "Ethics and the Enlightenment"

Linda Eads: “The Law and Corporate Ethics”
2003-2004 Michael Adler: “Who Is the Past? Ethics and Identity in Archaeology”
2004-2005 Carolyn Sargent & Carolyn Smith Morris: “Is There a Culturally Contextualized Alternative to the Four-Principles Approach in Bioethics? Anthropological Contributions to Ethics
Dilemmas in Clinical Practice”
2005-2006 Mark Chancey: “Politics, Culture Wars, and The Good Book: Recent Controversies Regarding the Bible and Pubic Education”
2006-2007 Joseph Kobylka: "When Bible Classes Go to the Supreme Court, What Will They Find?"

Marshall Terry: "The Founding and Defining of a University" (view the video)
2007-2008 Tony Pederson: “Reporter Privilege: A Con Job or an Essential Part of Democracy?” (view the video [forthcoming])

Barbara Hill Moore: “True to My Own Voice: Ethical Challenges in Transmitting Talent”
2008-2009 Robin Lovin: “Politics in Religious Perspective: Temptation, Tool, or Task” (view the video [forthcoming])