Scholar Talks
66 items
Edward Lengel: Thinking Through World War II | BRI Scholar Talks
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45 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow, Tony Williams, and guest scholar Ed Lengel will be discussing Lengel's compelling essays in BRI's new Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Digital Textbook on the dramatic Pacific theater of World War II. Lengel will narrate the captivating story of Japan’s aggressive expansionism during the 1930s in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the brutal fighting in the Pacific, and the consequential dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945.
45 Min
Amity Shlaes: Calvin Coolidge and Virtue | BRI Scholar Talks
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45 Min
Tony is joined by Amity Shlaes, author of the best-selling books on Coolidge and on the Great Society, to discuss her fascinating essay on Calvin Coolidge in BRI's new digital U.S. History textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. She details the virtues Coolidge developed as a young man and his views of the role of government in the early twentieth century. What actions did Coolidge take as president to support his ideals of a limited government and create a prosperous free-market economy during the 1920s? And how did Coolidge acknowledge constitutional principles and civic virtues in his domestic and foreign policy?
45 Min
Andrew Fisher: Native American History & Diversity |
BRI Scholar Talks
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55 Min
This week, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Andrew Fisher, associate
professor of history and director of the Environmental Science and Policy program at the
College of William & Mary, to discuss Fisher's vivid essay on Native Americans in BRI's
new digital textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. In fascinating detail,
Fisher will explain how each region of the country was composed of incredibly diverse
groups of Native American peoples and the different economic systems, gender roles,
and interactions with the environment. Fisher also explores pre-Columbian Native American
cultures and how they were later affected by interaction with Europeans over the next few centuries.
55 Min
A. James Fuller: The Election of 1860 | BRI Scholar Talks
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36 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with author and University of Indianapolis professor of history James Fuller to discuss the dramatic 1860 presidential election and why it was so significant. Fuller reviews the sectionalism that divided the country and the contention that surrounded the election. What dangers threaten the national union when citizens do not trust each other? And what happens when groups of voters put their self-interest before the common good? Fuller is the author of several books on the Civil War and Reconstruction including "The Election of 1860 Reconsidered."
36 Min
Allen C. Guelzo: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates | BRI Scholar Talks
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52 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with renowned historian Allen Guelzo, Director of the James Madison Program’s Initiative in Politics and Statesmanship, author of twelve bestselling books, and winner of the prestigious Lincoln Prize three times, to discuss Dr. Guelzo’s acclaimed book, "Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America." Together, they examine the importance of civil political discourse in a democracy. They also converse about Lincoln and Douglas’ differing republican political principles and ideas about slavery. Does democracy have a higher moral purpose? What can the Lincoln-Douglas debates teach us about constitutional principles and civil discourse?
52 Min
American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era | BRI Scholar Talks | Constitution Day 2023
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28 Min
Why is it important to have conversations about contested ideals as Americans? In this special Constitution Day Live episode of Scholar Talks, Tony is joined by Andrew Lang, professor of history at Mississippi State University, to talk about his newest book, ' A Contest of Civilizations: Exposing the Crisis of American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era.’ Together, they talk through different northern and southern understandings of American ideals, how emancipation and the Union enlistment impact affected the understanding of American exceptionalism, and more.
28 Min
Brooks Simpson: Emancipation & Reconstruction | BRI Scholar Talks
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35 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Foundation Professor of History at Arizona State University and Civil War and Reconstruction expert, Dr. Brooks Simpson, to discuss the tumultuous period of Reconstruction and how the country addressed African American rights after the Civil War. Simpson delves into the justice and injustice of the policies and laws of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, and Congress. What successes were achieved by African Americans during Reconstruction? How were African-American rights curtailed by white supremacist violence and legalized discrimination?
35 Min
America’s Revolutionary Mind with C. Bradley Thompson | BRI Scholar Talks
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29 Min
We all know the Declaration of Independence, but do we know the philosophical and moral underpinnings behind the famous document? In this Scholar Talk video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow, Tony Williams and C. Bradley Thompson, Professor of Political Science at Clemson University, discuss Thompson's book "America's Revolutionary Mind: A Moral History of the American Revolution and the Declaration That Defined It." How did the moral ideas of natural rights and self-government borrowed from Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke help shape the founding of the nation? In what way was the Revolution, as Adams called it, a “Revolution [that] was in the Minds and Hearts of the People?”
29 Min
George Washington’s Political Genius with David O. Stewart | BRI Scholar Talks
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25 Min
George Washington spent a lifetime mastering politics before he was unanimously elected the nation’s first president. In this Scholar Talk video, Tony Williams and distinguished bestselling historian David O. Stewart discuss Stewart's new book, "George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father," and how George Washington demonstrated political genius in helping create the American republic. How did Washington grow from a brash and impatient young man to exercise the civic virtues of restraint and moderation? What are some of the lessons we can still learn from America's first Commander in Chief?
25 Min
Abraham Lincoln’s Greatest Speeches with Diana Schaub | BRI Scholar Talks
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23 Min
How did Abraham Lincoln’s rhetoric in his speeches represent his principled statesmanship? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Diana Schaub, Professor of Political Science at Loyola University Maryland, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams. The two talk about three of Lincoln’s most iconic speeches and how they reflect his principles and moral vision. How can these speeches help us think about American purpose and identity today?
23 Min
From Oligarchy to Republicanism with Forrest Nabors | BRI Scholar Talks
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After the Founders established a republican political regime based on the ideals of natural rights and equality, how did the South create a system of enslavement and an oligarchy with rule by the few? In this video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Forrest Nabors, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Alaska at Anchorage, to discuss his new book, "From Oligarchy to Republicanism: The Great Task of Reconstruction." Nabors explains how the South turned away from Founding ideals and grew into a society in which few had power over many in the years leading up to the Civil War. How was Reconstruction an attempt to replace the southern oligarchical system with a free government of liberty and equality?
About Forrest Nabors:
Professor Forrest Nabors previously taught American government and political philosophy at Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. Prior to becoming a professor, Nabors was a high technology business executive in Portland, Oregon. "From Oligarchy to Republicanism: The Great Task of Reconstruction" won the award for best book in American Political Thought in 2017 from the American Political Science Association.
Cold War De-Escalation with Jeremi Suri | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & the Presidency Series #4
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21 Min
What next paths did President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger forge in American Cold War foreign policy? In this Cold War & the Presidency Scholar Talk, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Jeremi Suri, Professor of History and Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, to discuss how Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger subverted Congressional oversight to achieve their Cold War agenda. What was different about their approaches from those of previous administrations? Should Nixon have been able to use so much presidential power to achieve peace?
21 Min
Abraham Lincoln and Black Freedom and Equality with Jon White | BRI Scholar Talks
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31 Min
What were Abraham Lincoln’s views on race and freedom and equality for Black Americans? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Jon White, associate professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University and prize-winning historian and author, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his two books, "A House Built by Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House" and "To Address You as My Friend: African Americans’ Letters to Abraham Lincoln." Together, they talk about Lincoln’s policies and personal relationships with African Americans during his time in office. How did Lincoln’s views shape his presidency and his relationship with African Americans?
31 Min
Abraham Lincoln’s Political Philosophy with Lucas Morel | BRI Scholar Talks
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39 Min
What constitutional principles comprised Lincoln’s political philosophy? In this Scholar Talk video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Lucas Morel, Professor of Politics at Washington & Lee University, to discuss Morel's new book, "Lincoln and the American Founding." Morel explains how the natural rights republicanism of the Declaration of Independence and the principles of the Constitution formed the foundation of Lincoln’s political philosophy. This philosophy also shaped Lincoln’s statesmanship regarding the moral evil of slavery. What is the relationship between political ideas and actions in pursuit of justice, and which civic virtues are necessary for a principled leader to rule justly?
39 Min
American Resilience & the 1968 Election with Michael Nelson | BRI Scholar Talks
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23 Min
How did American institutions prove their resilience amid the tumultuous 1968 presidential election? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Michael Nelson, the Fulmer Professor of Political Science at Rhodes College and Senior Fellow at the UVA Jack Miller Center, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to talk about his new book, "Resilient America: Electing Nixon in 1968, Channeling Dissent, and Dividing Government." Together, they discuss postwar American political trends, divisions in American society, and the candidates who ran. How did the 1968 presidential election lead to a divided government and how did it demonstrate the resilience of American institutions?
23 Min
Frederick Douglass with Peter Myers | BRI Scholar Talks: Black Intellectuals Series #2
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21 Min
Explore more Black voices from across U.S. History with our primary source based curriculum: The Plainest Demands of Justice: Documents for Dialogue on the African American Experience. Learn more at https://billofrightsinstitute.org/mkt-the-plainest-demands-of-justice.
How did Frederick Douglass contribute to our understanding of the Black experience in America? In the second episode of our series, “Black Intellectuals and the African-American Experience,” BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Peter C. Myers, professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, to explore the life and legacy of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. How did Douglass view American Founding documents? What were the most important challenges in the struggle for Black equality and justice according to Douglass?
21 Min
American Unity From Political Parties with Joseph Postell | BRI Scholar Talks
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22 Min
How can political parties help to unite Americans? To explore this question, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Joseph Postell, Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College. They discuss together how American political parties can be forces of unity rather than division and partisanship, how the Founders viewed political parties, and attempts made during the Progressive Era to eliminate them. What are the positive roles of political parties throughout American history? What were the arguments of constitutional conservatives regarding their constructive role?
22 Min
Constitutional Powers and Limits of the Presidency with Lara Brown | BRI Scholar Talks
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26 Min
What are the constitutional powers and limits of the American presidency? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Lara Brown, professor and the director of the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at the George Washington University, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to talk about her book “Amateur Hour: Presidential Character and the Question of Leadership.” Together, they discuss important presidential character traits, notable and poor examples of these traits in contemporary presidencies, and how these traits can work to support constitutional principles and bring prestige and honor to the office of president.
26 Min
Gerald Ford, Watergate, and Separation of Powers | BRI Scholar Talks
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26 Min
What actions to limit presidential power did President Gerald Ford take after the Watergate scandal and the resignation of Richard Nixon? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Dr. Alex E. Hindman, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the College of the Holy Cross, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to talk about his book “Gerald Ford and the Separation of Powers: Preserving the Constitutional Presidency in the Post-Watergate Period.” Together, they discuss President Ford’s famous pardon of Richard Nixon, the effect of the War Powers Resolution on presidential powers, and how President Ford preserved the constitutional powers and limits of the presidency.
26 Min
Cold War Origins with Sean McMeekin | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & The Presidency Series
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22 Min
What factors contributed to the origins of the Cold War during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt? Join us today for the first episode of our summer Scholar Talks miniseries, “Cold War & the Presidency.” BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Sean McMeekin, Professor of History at Bard College, as they discuss his new book, "Stalin's War: A New History of World War II." How did FDR’s presidential unilateralism and diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union shape executive power during World War II and for his successors during the Cold War?
22 Min
Jonathan Den Hartog:
The American Revolution & Republicanism |
BRI Scholar Talks
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43 Min
In this week's Scholar Talk, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Jonathan Den Hartog.
In vivid detail, Den Hartog describes the republican ideals that influenced the American Revolution and
Founding. He'll explain how the concept of republicanism helped shape American thinking about
constitutional principles and civic virtues in framing the nation. What were the political and economic
problems that arose after the Revolution, and how did the Federalists and Anti-Federalists strive to address them?
43 Min
James H. Read: John Calhoun & Concurrent Majority | BRI Scholar Talks
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37 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with political scientist James H. Read to discuss his essay on John C. Calhoun in BRI's new digital history textbook, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Dr. Read tells the provocative story of how Calhoun’s political philosophy broke with the Founders’ view of majority rule in a republic. Calhoun developed the idea of a “concurrent majority” to protect “states’ rights” before the Civil War. What is the proper role of majority rule and consent in a republican form of government? What is the nature of the relationship between the federal and state governments according to the principle of federalism?
37 Min
LeeAnna Keith: Exploring Reconstruction | BRI Scholar Talks
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59 Min
Join BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams as he sits down with historian LeeAnna Keith, contributor to BRI’s new Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness textbook on the immense obstacles that African Americans continued to encounter during the Reconstruction era and into the twentieth century.
Keith explains how African Americans suffered tragic racial violence and white supremacy during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, despite constitutional protections in the Reconstruction Amendments, the 13th Amendment, 14th Amendment, and 15th Amendments. She also touches on an array of other important postwar developments, such as the segregation of African Americans under Jim Crow laws and various restrictions on black civil rights. Finally, Keith finds encouragement in the influential ideas of W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington for justice and equality and the civil rights movement of the twentieth century.
59 Min
Lincoln’s Principles of Democracy for Human Liberty with Allen Guelzo | BRI Scholar Talks
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48 Min
What was Lincoln’s understanding of the principles of democracy for human liberty? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Allen Guelzo, Distinguished Research Scholar at Princeton University and three-time winner of the prestigious Lincoln Prize, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his recent book, Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment
48 Min
Lincoln’s View of Majority Rule & Democracy with James Read | BRI Scholar Talks
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24 Min
What was Lincoln’s understanding of the importance of majority rule to American democracy and self-government? In this episode of Scholar Talks, James Read, Professor of Political Science at the College of St. Benedict and St. Johns University, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his recent book, Sovereign of a Free People: Abraham Lincoln, Majority Rule, and Slavery.
This episode explores Abraham Lincoln's vision of democracy, highlighting his views on the importance of majority rule, the threat of southern secession, and the impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
24 Min
Jonathan White: 1824 & Contentious Elections | BRI Scholar Talks
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31 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Jonathan White, associate professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University and author of several books on the Civil War, to discuss his essay on the presidential election of 1824 in our new digital history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Together, they piece together the historical background behind one of the most contentious elections in American history. In 1824, none of the four candidates—Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, or William Crawford—were able to obtain a majority of the Electoral College vote. The Twelfth Amendment required the election be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, where John Quincy Adams was chosen as the sixth U.S. president. Can we learn any lessons about democracy from contentious elections? Was the election a crisis or a demonstration of the successful workings of constitutional principles?
About Jonathan White:
Jonathan White is an associate professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University and is the author or editor of ten books, including "Abraham Lincoln and Treason in the Civil War: The Trials of John Merryman and Emancipation" and "Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln," which was a finalist for both the Lincoln Prize and the winner of the Abraham Lincoln Institute’s 2015 book prize. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Institute, the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Lincoln Forum, and the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History at the University of Virginia. His most recent books include "Lincoln on Law, Leadership and Life" and “Our Little Monitor: The Greatest Invention of the Civil War." He is presently writing a biography of a convicted slave trader named Appleton Oaksmith. Check out his website at www.jonathanwhite.org/ or follow him on Twitter at @CivilWarJon.
31 Min
How President Garfield Shaped America’s Destiny with Candice Millard | BRI Scholar Talks
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17 Min
How did President James Garfield assassination change America’s destiny? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Candice Millard, four time New York Times best selling author, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss her book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, & the Murder of a President. This episode covers the possibilities for progress and politics in of the Gilded Age, the dramatic rise of James Garfield to the presidency, and the enigmatic story of his colorful assassin, Charles Guiteau.
17 Min
JFK and Foreign Policy with Greg Schneider | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & The Presidency Series #3
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20 Min
How did JFK respond to foreign policy crises during his presidency? In this Cold War & the Presidency Scholar Talk, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Greg Schneider, Professor of History at Emporia State University, to discuss the significant role that John F. Kennedy played in the Cold War. Did JFK and his advisors experience growth in addressing Cold War conflicts? How did JFK continue Harry Truman’s approach of containment during his presidency?
20 Min
Jon Schaff: Lincoln & Civic Virtue | BRI Scholar Talks
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35 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Jon Schaff, author and Northern State University professor of government, to discuss Lincoln's respect for civic virtues and why they are so important in a democracy. Schaff reviews the relationship between civic virtues and efficient political processes, emphasizing the importance of civil discourse. What are the dangers of passions in creating lawlessness and tyranny? And why are restraint, moderation, and prudence essential traits for a good ruler to possess? Schaff is the author of "Abraham Lincoln's Statesmanship and the Limits of Liberal Democracy" and "Age of Anxiety: Meaning, Identity, and Politics in 21st-Century Film and Literature."
About Jon Schaff:
Professor Schaff is a professor of government at Northern State University and specializes in the study of American political thought and institutions. He has published on the presidency and political thought of Abraham Lincoln, politics and literature, and politics and popular culture. He has been a department chair and faculty athletic representative and has received the Outstanding Faculty Award from NSU.
35 Min
Patriotism & Piety with Jonathan Den Hartog | BRI Scholar Talks
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23 Min
Religion was at the heart of the founding of the American colonies, but did you know that it played a major role in political life? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Jonathan Den Hartog, Professor of History at Samford University, to discuss how religion influenced politics in the early Republic. How did religion affect the growing partisan divide between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans? What lessons can we learn from the political division of the late eighteenth-century Republic?
23 Min
Peter C. Myers: Civil Rights & Civil Disobedience | BRI Scholar Talks
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54 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Peter C. Myers, professor of political science specializing in political philosophy and U.S. constitutional law at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, to discuss Peter's compelling essay in Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness on Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Birmingham March. Integrating material on constitutional principles and injustice of segregation including the Letter from Birmingham Jail and the I Have a Dream speech, they draw out the gripping and important story of civil rights and explain the ways it will interest students.
54 Min
Progressivism & Government with Ronald J. Pestritto | BRI Scholar Talks
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22 Min
How did the philosophy of the Progressive Era transform the role of the American government from the American Founding? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams talks with Graduate Dean and Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College, Ronald J. Pestritto. Together, they discuss the Progressives' novel views of the Constitution and religion in addition to the impact of Progressivism on current-day governance. In what ways do we see the Progressives' sustained critiques of the Constitution from this era alive in America today?
22 Min
Reagan’s Cold War Strategies with William Inboden | BRI Scholar Talks
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28 Min
Was Ronald Regan’s Cold War strategy actually successful? In this episode of Scholar Talks, William Inboden, Professor and Director of the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams. They discuss Reagan's war strategies in his first and second administrations, keeping the Cold War Cold, and determine whether or not Reagan's strategies were successful.
28 Min
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dedication to Equality and Justice with Jonathan Eig | BRI Scholar Talks
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14 Min
How did Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicate his life to equality and justice? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by award-winning author and journalist Jonathan Eig to discuss his newest book, New York Times bestseller ‘King: A Life.’ Together, they touch on topics such as King’s background, leadership, courage, and complex relationships with rising young activists.
14 Min
James Madison: Constitutional Statesman and Practical Politician with Jay Cost | BRI Scholar Talks
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22 Min
What unique contributions did the various Founders make to liberty and constitutional self-governance? BRI’s new “American Founders” Scholar Talk Series seeks to answer this and other questions. In this episode, Jay Cost, Gerald R. Ford nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins BRI Fellow Tony Williams. Together they discuss Founder James Madison and his indispensability to the Constitutional Convention and the establishment of republican principles in America. How did Madison’s contributions as a statesman and politician lead to the promotion of liberty and self-governance?
22 Min
Restoring Trust in American Institutions with Yuval Levin | BRI Scholar Talks
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18 Min
How can we restore trust in American institutions? To explore this question, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Yuval Levin, Senior Fellow at the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy and Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Together they discuss the decline of institutions and their role in promoting better social interactions and creating a common purpose. How have institutions become platforms for performative outrage and self-promotion rather than healthy civic organizations?
18 Min
How the Civil War Affected the Domestic Slave Trade with Robert Colby | BRI Scholar Talks
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23 Min
How did Union military advances and emancipation policies affect the slave trade in the Confederacy? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Robert Colby, Assistant Professor of American history at the University of Mississippi, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his book, An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War South.
This episode covers how the Civil War affect the domestic slave trade, the complex responses southern slaveholders had to collapsing economic conditions, and the effects of Union military advances and emancipation policies.
23 Min
Presidency, Populism, & the Decline of Parties w/ Sidney Milkis | BRI Scholar Talks
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28 Min
How did the presidency, populism, and the decline of parties lead to the collapse of the moderate “vital center” for greater polarization? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Dr. Sidney Milkis, the White Burkett Miller Professor in the Department of Politics and Faculty Fellow at the Miller Center, joins BRI Fellow, Tony Williams, to discuss his book “What Happened to the Vital Center?: Presidentialism, Populist Revolt, and the Fracturing of America.” They converse about how recent presidents and the transformation of liberalism and conservatism have contributed to the growing partisanship in American politics.
28 Min
How Special Operations Shaped the Civil War with Patrick O’Donnell | BRI Scholar Talks
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27 Min
How did special operations affect the outcome of the Civil War? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Patrick O'Donnell, combat historian, bestselling author, and public speaker, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his new book, The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations.
This episode covers the formation of Mosby's Confederate Rangers and the Union's Jessie Scouts, the tactics used by special forces during the Civil War, and the effect special operations had on the outcome of the Civil War.
27 Min
Reagan & the Cold War with Stephen Knott | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & the Presidency Series #5
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17 Min
While there were a variety of factors that led to the end of the Cold War, no one can deny that Ronald Regan played a pivotal role. For the final episode of our Cold War & the Presidency Series, BRI Staff Tony Williams is joined by Stephen F. Knott, professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval War College, as they discuss Reagan's moral vision of the Soviet Union and how it shaped his practical approach to confronting the Soviets. Why did he alter the policies of past presidents like détente and the containment doctrine? What impact did Reagan’s approach to the Cold War have on the American presidency and the end of the Cold War?
17 Min
Stephanie Hinnershitz: Chinese Immigration & Exclusion |
BRI Scholar Talks
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49 Min
Tony Williams is joined by Dr. Stephanie Hinnershitz, author and assistant professor of
history at Cleveland State University, as they discuss her thought-provoking essay on the
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in BRI’s new digital textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit
of Happiness. She chronicles the social, economic, and political factors that compelled
many people to immigrate to the United States from China in the late 19th century, as well
as the tragic violence and xenophobia that Chinese laborers routinely suffered. How did
these tensions culminate in the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, and what impact did this
discriminatory law have on society?
49 Min
Robert McDonald: Reviewing BRI’s New Textbook |
BRI Scholar Talks
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25 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Robert McDonald, professor of
history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and author of Confounding Father:
Thomas Jefferson's Image in His Own Time among other impressive works, to discuss
McDonald's experience reviewing BRI's entire digital textbook, Life, Liberty, and the
Pursuit of Happiness. He'll explain what drew him to the project and the many reasons
why this textbook stands out from others. With a rich range of voices from historical
figures and modern-day historians, the textbook will engage students on a number of levels.
25 Min
Thomas Kidd: Benjamin Franklin and Enlightenment
| BRI Scholar Talks
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37 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams will sit down with historian and author Thomas Kidd
to discuss his fascinating essay on the American Enlightenment and Benjamin Franklin in our
new digital history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Kidd touches on
everything from Franklin’s impressive printing and scientific exploits to his nuanced views
on education, religion, and civic virtue. He also explains the ways Franklin used his
determination to educate himself and others against the vibrant backdrop of the American Enlightenment.
37 Min
The Division of Early American Politics with H.W. Brands | BRI Scholar Talks
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27 Min
Why were American politics so divided in the early republic? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by H.W. Brands, the Jack S. Blanton, Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas and bestselling author of more than 30 books. Together, they explore this early division and the Founders' original views on political parties. How was this fierce division shown in the Constitutional Convention and ratification debate?
27 Min
The Crooked Path to Abolition with James Oakes | BRI Scholar Talks
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26 Min
How were the Civil War and the question of slavery related to differing interpretations of a pro-slavery or anti-slavery Constitution? In this video, two-time Lincoln Prize winner, James Oakes, and BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams discuss his new book, “The Crooked Path to Abolition: Abraham Lincoln and the Antislavery Constitution.” Oakes explores what role the Constitution played in abolishing slavery and how the Civil War accelerated this process. Why did Lincoln view the Constitution as an anti-slavery document? In what ways were Lincoln’s opinions different from his contemporaries? In what ways were they similar?
26 Min
The U.S. Army and World War II’s Pacific Theater with John McManus | BRI Scholar Talks
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19 Min
What was the contribution of the U.S. Army to the American victory against Japan in the Pacific War in World War II? In this episode of Scholar Talks, John McManus, the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to talk about his new book "Island Infernos: The U.S. Army’s Pacific War Odyssey, 1944" Together, they discuss the nature of the war in the Pacific between America and Japan, the experiences of soldiers on the ground, and the leadership styles of the U.S. generals involved. Why did 1944 witness a turning of the tide in the U.S. Army's Pacific war effort?
19 Min
Thomas Jefferson, Confounding Father with Robert M. S. McDonald | BRI Scholar Talks
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29 Min
Author of the Declaration of Independence, leader of the political opposition, and third president, Thomas Jefferson is one of the most eminent and yet most controversial historical figures in his time and today. Demonized as a demagogue and radical, Jefferson had many critics and political enemies. In this video, distinguished scholar Robert M. S. McDonald and BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams discuss his new book, “Confounding Father: Thomas Jefferson's Image in His Own Time.” What were the concerns that Jefferson’s contemporaries had relating to his style of governance? How did his relationship with Sally Hemings affect his political endeavors?
29 Min
The Baldwin-Buckley Debate with Nicholas Buccola | BRI Scholar Talks
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38 Min
What timeless messages does the Baldwin-Buckley Debate teach about the discussion of race in the 1960s? In this Scholar Talk video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams sits down with Nicholas Buccola, writer and expert in American political thought, to discuss Buccola's new book, "The Fire is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate Over Race in America." Buccola delves into the backgrounds of both James Baldwin, the foremost literary voice of the civil rights movement, and William F. Buckley Jr., one of America's most influential conservatives and opponent of the civil rights movement, to describe their radically different views on the racial divide in America. How far have we come from this moment in 1965, and what work lies ahead of us in pursuit of true equality for all?
38 Min
The Marbleheaders & American Independence with Patrick K. O’Donnell | BRI Scholar Talks
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24 Min
During the American Revolution, an elite and racially diverse group of men called the Marbleheaders played a critical role in contributing to the creation of American liberty and independence. In this Scholar Talk video, Tony Williams, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow, and historian, bestselling author, and professional speaker Patrick K. O'Donnell, discuss O'Donnell's new book, "The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware." How did the members of the regiment demonstrate civic virtues of courage, perseverance, and equality? How did they lay the foundation for the U.S. Navy and American self-government?
24 Min
The Shaping of Modern American Conservatism with Matthew Continetti | BRI Scholar Talks
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Video
20 Min
What were the political and intellectual forces that shaped modern American Conservatism? In this episode of BRI Scholar Talks, Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Matthew Continetti, Director of Domestic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, to discuss the conservative movement and its effect on American politics and history. How has the conservative movement changed over the past 60 years? What seems to be the present direction for the future of the divided conservative movement?
20 Min
The Importance of John Calhoun in U.S. History with Robert Elder | BRI Scholar Talks
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20 Min
Why is John Calhoun an important figure to study in United States history? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Dr. Robert Elder, Professor of History at Baylor University, to talk about his new book ‘John Calhoun: An American Heretic.’ Together, they discuss Calhoun’s shifting views, controversial ideas, and role as an influential figure in American history.
20 Min
Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, & 20th Century America w/ Laurence Jurdem | BRI Scholar Talks
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24 Min
How did Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge shape early twentieth-century America? In this episode of Scholar Talks, BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Laurence Jurdem, adjunct professor of history at Fairfield University and Fordham College and a frequent contributor on American politics in the New York Times and Washington Post. Together, they discuss how Roosevelt and Lodge were shaped by their early lives, their personal relationship, their views on World War I, and more.
24 Min
The Founders and Religious Liberty with Phillip Muñoz | BRI Scholar Talks
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20 Min
How did the American founders understand religious liberty? To explore this question, Dr. Vincent Phillip Muñoz, Professor of Political Science and Law at the University of Notre Dame, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams. Together they unpack the originalist understanding of the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause and discuss what religious liberty meant to those who wrote the Constitution. What were the main common founding understandings of religious liberty? What were some areas of disagreement among the founders on religious liberty?
20 Min
The Politics of War Powers with Sarah Burns | BRI Scholar Talks
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29 Min
How has the president been able to decide when the United States goes to war without Congress deliberating and declaring war? In this video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams and Associate Professor of Political Science at Rochester Institute of Technology, Sarah Burns, discuss her new book, "The Politics of War Powers: The Theory and History of Presidential Unilateralism." What is the proper constitutional balance between the Congress and presidency when it comes to war powers? What might the remedy be for restoring the balance and the separation of powers?
29 Min
The Discretionary President: The Necessity & Dangers of Executive Authority | BRI Scholar Talks
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18 Min
What are the promises and perils of discretionary presidential authority? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Tony Williams, Senior Teaching Fellow, is joined by Dr. Benjamin Kleinerman, R.W. Morrison Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, to explore how presidents have exercised and viewed discretionary executive authority throughout American history. How did Alexander Hamilton and James Madison disagree regarding its constitutionality, and how do we continue to grapple with the necessity and dangers of it to face crises today?
18 Min
The Unitary Executive Theory | BRI Scholar Talks
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25 Min
What are the problems and concerns with the Unitary Executive Theory of the Presidency? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Dr. Mark J. Rozell, founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his newest book “Unitary Executive Theory: A Danger to Constitutional Government.” Together, they touch on topics such as the historical origins of the Unitary Executive Theory, the constitutional dangers surrounding it, and contemporary examples of presidents who exercised it. How has the use of presidential "czars" undermined Congress and the Constitution?
25 Min
Thomas Jefferson: American Revolution, Independence & Controversy w/ Thomas Kidd | BRI Scholar Talks
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26 Min
What core contributions did the various Founders make to liberty and constitutional self-governance? BRI’s new “American Founders” Scholar Talk Series seeks to answer this question. In this first episode, Dr. Thomas S. Kidd, Senior Research Scholar at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and Research Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary joins BRI Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his book, “Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh.” They discuss the contributions and complexities of one of America’s most significant Founders, including Jefferson’s religious views, political beliefs, and the problem of slavery in the American constitutional order.
26 Min
Stephen F. Knott: Demagoguery, Restraint, and the American Presidency Part 2 | BRI Scholar Talks
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37 Min
How does a constitutional presidency reflect admirable qualities, and, alternatively, how can a "populist presidency" degrade the office? In a two-part series, BRI Senior Teacher Fellow Tony Williams is joined by author and professor in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College, Stephen Knott, to explore these questions by looking back at the most significant presidents in American history and how they defined their times in office. In Part Two of their discussion, Knott explains how "populist presidency" expanded in the 20th century with idealistic leaders like Woodrow Wilson, while presidents William Howard Taft and Dwight Eisenhower upheld a healthy balance of power and restraint. Knott is the author of "The Lost Soul of the American Presidency: The Decline into Demagoguery and the Prospects for Renewal."
About Stephen F. Knott:
Stephen F. Knott is a professor in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College. He co-chaired the Presidential Oral History Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. He has taught teachers for many years at the graduate school program at the Ashbrook Center of Ashland University. He has written numerous books including "Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America" and "Alexander Hamilton and the Persistence of Myth." He is currently at work on a book on the presidency of John F. Kennedy.
37 Min
Stephen F. Knott: Demagoguery, Restraint, and the American Presidency Part 1 | BRI Scholar Talks
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Video
32 Min
How does a constitutional presidency reflect admirable qualities and, alternatively, how can a "populist presidency" degrade the office? In a two-part series, BRI Senior Teacher Fellow Tony Williams is joined by author and professor in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College, Stephen Knott, to explore these questions by looking back at the most significant presidents in American history and how they defined their times in office. In part one of their discussion, Knott explains how the "populist presidency" originated in Thomas Jefferson and re-emerged in fiery leaders like Andrew Jackson while other presidents like Abraham Lincoln sought to preserve the constitutionalism and magnanimity of the Founders’ presidency. Knott is the author of "The Lost Soul of the American Presidency: The Decline into Demagoguery and the Prospects for Renewal."
About Stephen F. Knott:
Stephen F. Knott is a professor in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College. He co-chaired the Presidential Oral History Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. He has also taught teachers for many years at the graduate school program at the Ashbrook Center of Ashland University. He has written numerous books including "Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America" and "Alexander Hamilton and the Persistence of Myth."
32 Min
Thomas Jefferson’s Complex Views and Actions on Slavery with Cara Rogers Steven | BRI Scholar Talks
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24 Min
What were Thomas Jefferson’s complex views and actions on slavery as statesman and slaveholder? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Cara Rogers Steven, Associate Professor of History at Ashland University, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss her first book, Thomas Jefferson and the Fight Against Slavery, published by the University Press of Kansas in the esteemed American Political Thought Series.
This episode delves into Thomas Jefferson's education, his early anti-slavery writings, the complexities in Notes on the State of Virginia, his educational influence on republican government, and his actions as a statesman and slaveholder.
24 Min
Vincent Phillip Muñoz :
The Warren Court & Progressivism |
BRI Scholar Talks
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Video
32 Min
BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Dr. Vincent Phillip Muñoz,
author and Tocqueville Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame,
to discuss the Warren Court. Muñoz gives detailed accounts of the most significant Supreme Court
cases of the period and explains how they reflected a time of judicial activism and progressivism
for civil liberties against a backdrop of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. How did
Court advance the incorporation doctrine at this time? And how did the Warren Court shape the
principle of federalism in the present day?
32 Min
Tony Williams: The Boston Massacre & Justice |
BRI Scholar Talks
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26 Min
BRI Senior Program Education Specialist Mary Patterson sits down with BRI Senior Teaching Fellow
Tony Williams to talk aboutthe tumultuous rebellion against tyranny that led to the dramatic events
of the Boston Massacre. They examine the role of propaganda in the patriot movement and the
constitutional principles of justice and rule of law in the trial of the British soldiers due to the
courageous moral stand of their defense attorney, John Adams, for a fair trial.
26 Min
Truman & Containment with John Moser | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & The Presidency Series #2
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20 Min
What was containment and how did it shape American foreign policy during the Cold War? In this Cold War & the Presidency Scholar Talk video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by John Moser, Professor of History at Ashland University, to discuss the significant role that Harry Truman played in the Cold War. How did Truman's presidential unilateralism provide a precedent for his successors to fight major wars without a declaration of war? Did Truman’s expansive view of American foreign policy and global responsibilities align with constitutional principles?
20 Min
Washington’s Cabinet with Lindsay Chervinsky | BRI Scholar Talks
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22 Min
Among the different constitutional traditions George Washington established as America’s first president, perhaps one of the more overlooked was the creation of the cabinet. Join us today as Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Scholar in Residence at the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies at Iona College, and BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams discuss her new book, "The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution." In this episode, Dr. Chervinsky explores topics such as how Washington’s military experience shaped the cabinet, how cabinet members were picked, and the famous Jefferson-Hamilton dispute of the early republic. What historical precedents did Washington establish for the American presidency related to the principles of republicanism and separation of powers?"
22 Min
Using the Constitution to Help Unify Americans with Yuval Levin | BRI Scholar Talks
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24 Min
How can the Constitution help unify Americans? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss his new book, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—And Could Again.
This episode explores how the Constitution can help unify Americans, the roles of federalism and localism, the importance of Congress, the contributions of the president and Supreme Court, and how stronger political parties and elections can promote unity.
24 Min
Navigating Presidential Challenges Through Constitutional Powers with Jordan Cash |BRI Scholar Talks
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29 Min
How can presidents, who face significant challenges exercise their constitutional powers vigorously? In this episode of Scholar Talks, Jordan Cash, Professor of Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy at Michigan State University, joins BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams to discuss the concept of the "isolated presidency" as detailed in Cash’s book, The Isolated Presidency.
This episode examines how presidents such as John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, and Gerald Ford used constitutional authority to navigate significant obstacles like divided government, a lack of party support, and questions of legitimacy. Cash explores the unique ways these presidents upheld their executive powers, setting historical precedents in both domestic and foreign policy, and sheds light on what these cases can teach us about the presidency's role in modern American politics and governance.
29 Min