news22-23

Benson Center appoints new Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 18:18:15 +0000

Benson Center appoints new Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/01/2023 - 12:18

Todd J. Zywicki, George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia School of Law, will join the Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization at University of Colorado, Boulder as the Visiting Scholar in Conservative Thought and Policy for Fall 2023.

Professor Zywicki is a distinguished legal scholar with expertise in law and economics, the regulation of consumer finance, and bankruptcy law. He has testified before Congress on consumer bankruptcy law and consumer credit and is the author of more than 130 law review and peer-reviewed economics journal articles.

At CU, Professor Zywicki will offer undergraduate courses on "The Rule of Law" and "Hayek and his Critics" as well as host public events for students, faculty, staff, and the broader CU community.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the CU community for the Fall semester. For years I have watched the Benson Center grow as an intellectual force on the CU campus and the national academy. In this time of national polarization I applaud the support of the university administration to encourage dialogue and diversity of thought on campus and to do my part to live up to that charge."

Professor Zywicki received his JD from the University of Virginia, an MA in Economics from Clemson University, and an AB from Dartmouth College.

View courses Professor Zywicki is teaching in Fall 2023

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Benson Center hosted workshop in heterodox moral and political philosophy for second year

Anonymous — Mon, 22 May 2023 19:42:54 +0000

Benson Center hosted workshop in heterodox moral and political philosophy for second year Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/22/2023 - 13:42

The national Workshop in Heterodox Moral and Political Philosophy was held for the second time at the University of Colorado Boulder under the auspices of the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization from April 21-23. This is the fourth iteration of the workshop, which was founded and organized by Daniel Jacobson, Director of the Benson Center. The workshop takes its purpose to give sympathetic but not uncritical attention to work in progress from younger (primarily not yet tenured) philosophers who work on ideas at odds with the prevailing orthodoxies of the discipline. A group of senior philosophers open to heterodox viewpoints also comments on the papers and serves as mentors.

The invitation-only workshop is the only one of its kind in the country. In addition to providing feedback for works in progress, it also serves to establish a network of open-minded philosophers who support academic freedom and the open exchange of ideas on controversial topics. The workshop endorses no particular ideology, and civil disagreement is expected and encouraged.

Previous workshops have featured papers on such topics as immigration, moral grandstanding, abortion, the nature of conservativism, neo-liberalism, how the notion of epistemic injustice can be applied to conservatives in academia, and other important topics on which professional philosophy imposes pressure to conform to a narrow range of views.

The Workshop in Heterodox Moral and Political Philosophy is made possible by a generous grant from the Snider Foundation.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:58:00 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/07/2022 - 09:58

DC Scholarship Blog

I am incredibly grateful for my time at The Washington Center this past fall. While at TWC, there were so many amazing opportunities to network with TWC alumni and hear about their unique experiences in D.C. Not only did I expand my network, but I also gained much insight into career paths I wasn’t even aware of. Many of the networking events counted towards my Career Readiness Course, which helped me significantly in learning more about myself in terms of how prepared I really am to enter a professional position. While I was required to conduct only three informational interviews, I ended up talking to eight amazing individuals about their careers. Along with the Career Readiness Course, I also took a Forensic Psychology course. I really enjoyed learning about forensic psychology and all the ways psychology has influenced our justice system. For my final paper, I wrote about the intersection of forensic psychology and neuroscience (my major at CU) and loved connecting what I learned at CU with my course at TWC. During the semester we held a mock trial, and it was the first one I had ever participated in. I thoroughly enjoyed the mock trial and learning about the general workings of the justice system. I was assigned the role of expert witness on a case of a sleepwalker which was amazing because my interest in sleepwalking is what got me into neuroscience in the first place!

I am also incredibly grateful for my internship at the Peace Corps. I’m interested in applying to volunteer one day, so working in headquarters was very eye-opening to all the amazing work that goes into ensuring the safety and security of all the volunteers. I also had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects that taught me so much about the importance of wellbeing and mental health. Among these projects was “On Being Trauma Informed”. I was tasked with reviewing over 40 interviews from various Peace Corps psychologists, medical, and regional officers. My job was to search for adequate responses to a question relating to interpersonal support so that a new training module could be created. It was so fascinating to hear everyone’s responses! I’d say the most valuable thing I took away is that you never know what is going on in someone’s life and to have a trauma informed response is to be empathetic. My favorite project I worked on over the semester was my role as a research assistant in New Country Evaluations. For the Peace Corps to send volunteers into a country, there must be extensive research beforehand. I loved conducting this research as it helped build on my research skills and pushed me to see the full picture of a country by connecting all the information I had gathered. I am lucky to say that even though my program at TWC has ended, I will still be interning with the Peace Corps for the full year and cannot wait to see what other amazing projects I can lend a hand on.

Finally, I want to talk about the amazing museums and monuments in D.C. I loved being able to run by the Washington Monument and Lincoln Monument as if it was another casual building. The architecture of the city was incredible, and I absolutely loved taking the metro everywhere. After 3 months in D.C., I am sad to leave and am looking forward to the day I come back to such an amazing city.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 18:42:31 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/11/2022 - 12:42

CU in D.C. Experience Report

So far, I have been in Washington, DC for just over a month. Little would I know, that month would be filled with some of the most fun and most fulfilling work I have ever done. Don’t get me wrong, beautiful Boulder will always have a place in my heart, but I would certainly recommend that any Buff interested in the world of government and politics do their best to make it out to DC at one point or another.

For starters, I am surrounded by history. It is a quick 20 minute metro to some of the world’s best museums and monuments on the National Mall. Since most of these attractions are free, it ensures that you will always have something to do on your time off from work. One of my favorite things to do is walk from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and back. On the way, you pass many other significant monuments. So far, my favorite of the museums and monuments has to be the National Museum of African American History and Culture. As the newest Smithsonian, it had some of the most impactful exhibits and the most interactive exhibits I have seen at any museum around the world. I spent almost a full day just at this museum, showing just how much there is to do at each museum. A month in, and I still haven’t been to the vast majority of museums on the National Mall.

Our CU in DC housing is in the NoMa neighborhood, and is only a 5 minute walk to the nearest grocery store and the nearest Metro station. I did not realize how important that would be before I got here, but now I understand just how incredible these amenities are. From the Metro, you can really get anywhere in the DC area with ease (I suggest you leave your car at home!) It is so easy to explore other awesome areas such as Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Navy Yard, Adams Morgan, and even some of the towns on the border in nearby Virginia such as Alexandria and Arlington. Truly, there is no end of excitement in this city and I guarantee that after one semester, I will still have things yet to accomplish.

As a Political Science major, it has been incredible to learn and work in the place where the magic happens. I have been interning for a local member of Congress, helping with essential office functions and legislative needs. I have also been meeting as many people as possible to hear their stories and figure out how they made it here as well. I think my favorite part is getting to explore the halls of the Capitol. The artwork and historical significance is second to none when it comes to the US. When Congress is in session, everyone is flying around making sure that our Member is ready for votes no matter how big or how small. The other interns and I get along fabulously, and even though most of us go to different universities, we have an undeniable connection through our love for Colorado.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 17:58:21 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/29/2022 - 11:58

CU in D.C. Experience Report

The experience of being able to work, learn, and live in Washington D.C. has been one of unparalleled opportunity. As our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. provides a thrillingly unique yet challenging environment for young professionals and scholars such as myself to engage in. My 2022 experience was one that will have ripples throughout the rest of my professional and personal life, and I am confident I will reflect upon this journey as one of consequence.

Interning for Representative Ed Perlmutter of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, I was able to engage with Congressional politics at a level previously inaccessible to me. Despite being both formally and informally involved in political research and knowledge my entre life, there is no substitution for physically being in the imposing and shining Capitol Hill, experiencing the organized chaos that is Congressional politics. There are a variety of misconceptions surrounding public service at the political level and having firsthand knowledge of Congressional life was shocking in bow it dispelled a variety of these misconceptions. While there certainly are aspects that may be seen as glamorous and attention seeking, at least Representative Perlmutter and hence my experience strayed far away from the flashy side of politics, and I was encouraged to delve deeper into the constituent service side of politics, where the goal is to actually help those in the district as well as the national electorate at large. Much of Congressional work is much life standard office work, except the stakes are significantly higher and the issues being dealt with impact the lives of millions. It was often important for me to remind myself on a difficult phone call or when tackling a particularly thorny problem that my work has helping to facilitate necessary change that had the potential to positively impact thousands of lives. This helped to ground my emotions at the time and focus on the task at hand, which helped to improve my overall work ethic. The skills in interpersonal communication, policy knowledge and overall confidence in political work.

Aside from the professional aspects, living and learning in D.C. was quite the experience. The ability to learn foreign policy from ana expert in the field who has been engaged in the profession their entire professional lives was transformative. The depth of knowledge is unlike most pf my academic career so far, and despite the knowledge of professors at CU, there is a difference of being in D.C. with professors who are actively in the working field and have held high level government jobs before. There is a sense of authenticity that is hard to acquire elsewhere. Living in D.C. is another beast. Despite being vastly different from Colorado, the culture and environment was very positive, and the culture and history the surrounded me on a daily basis was inspiring. The youth and vigor that is injected into the city is refreshing and helped to reenergize me after difficult times and I was grateful to have been able to experience it.

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CU Boulder's Benson Center adds library of scholarly works on liberty

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 06:00:00 +0000

CU Boulder's Benson Center adds library of scholarly works on liberty Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/24/2022 - 00:00

In 2021 the Benson Center was chosen to participate in a book placement program by the Liberty Fund, a private educational foundation established to foster thought and encourage discussion of enduring issues pertaining to liberty. The center was awarded the Liberty Fund’s entire catalog of some 428 volumes and DVDs, and will continue to receive new additions to the catalog.

This is a curated collection of scholarly works that engage with vital questions of liberty across many disciplines including economics, political thought, history and law. Through this rich collection, readers can explore and consider the ideas of John Milton, Alexis de Tocqueville, John Stuart Mill, Alexander Hamilton, Mercy Otis Warren, Adam Smith, and many others. The Liberty Fund volumes are augmented by titles in the Benson Center’s own collection, which contains works by visiting scholars and guest speakers.

At the Benson Center, the new library resides in a dedicated reading area on the second floor of Kittredge Central Hall’s north wing, where it is accessible to the entire campus community during business hours.

For more information and to view the inventory, visit /center/benson/library.

Left: Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" and the "Collected Works of John Stuart Mill" are among the titles found in the new Benson Center Library.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:07:54 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/02/2022 - 13:07

Washington D.C. is perhaps like no other city in America. No other place in the world such an opportunity as Washington D.C. From the halls of Congress to the lobby firms, to the numerous federal agencies and NGOs. Washington D.C. has just about any internship anyone can think of. Through the Snider Foundation’s scholarship, it allowed me the opportunity to partake in one of the most eye-opening experiences in perhaps all the world. Compared to all other Study Abroad at CU, CU in DC gives the unique ability to make a difference in world, that the internships we have make a positive impact in the world we live in, something that is rarely ever seen in the academic world. The city provides perhaps one of the most unique experiences and has something to offer no matter what your preferences are.

Washington D.C. offers one of the most unique experiences in America. Perhaps one of my most favorite places to visit was the National Zoo. There I spent countless hours photographing the Giant Pandas, watching them eat, taking naps and even little Xiao Qi Ji (the panda) tumbling down the hill as he walks next to his mother. With Giant Panda being one of my most famous animals, the National Zoo is one of the few spots in America where you can actually see them. D.C. offered much more than just Pandas however! From Intern Night at Nationals Park, to protesting at the Supreme Court, from being goofy spies at the museum to run around taking photos in the rain.

This summer, I was lucky to attend my internship at the United States Agency for Global Media. While many people may not know what it is, USAGM is the parent organization for some the world’s most famous news agency such as Voice of America and Office of Cuba Broadcasting. The organization founded its roots amid the Cold War. Today, they continue this mission to their promote freedom and democracy in countries in which the freedom of press is not considered an unalienable right. My internship dealt with policy within the agency, to support and create guidelines in which our employees can achieve these goals. I learned so much from improving my writing skills, to working on a disaster response plan the opportunities that USAGM provided were second to none and solidified my goal of working somewhere to make the world a better place.

This summer I can’t describe how many positive experiences I had. From my internship to the city, to all my wonderful friends that I made along the way, my only regret is that this opportunity did not last as long any of us truly wanted. I would like to thank the CU In DC programs and all the support staff along the way for providing a wonderful experience both in Boulder and in DC. I am truly grateful for the Snider Foundation for providing the financial ability to partake in a truly life-changing experience.

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