Public Scholars at
Hanover College
Inquiries
Volume Four, Number Two/Three - Winter/Spring 2004
An American Classic
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, using the pen name Publius, wrote The Federalist Papers in large part to persuade their countrymen to ratify the Constitution. But, unlike much of the literature that emerged out of that debate, The Federalist Papers remain at the center of American political discourse. In November 2003, the Center for Free Inquiry sponsored a symposium titled The Nature of American Nationalism: The Federalist Papers Today, to explore the enduring influence of this text.
The symposium brought together four distinguished scholars: George M. Curtis III, Professor of History at Hanover College; Steven D. Ealy, Senior Fellow at Liberty Fund, Inc.; Ross M. Lence, Professor of Political Science at the University of Houston; and Paul A. Rahe, The Walker Professor of American History at the University of Tulsa. Each offered a unique perspective on the place of The Federalist Papers in the history and contemporary political culture of the United States.
Steven Ealy, whose talk is excerpted in this issue of Inquiries, considered what we can learn from Publius about constitutional interpretation. Disagreements about the meaning of the Constitution pervade American politics, from our debates about how to increase homeland security to our efforts to resolve intractable conflicts concerning sexuality and the family. Thus, Dr. Ealy's efforts to connect present debates with our national history are especially valuable now.
Jeffrey Brautigam
Jeffrey Brautigam is the Director of the Center for Free Inquiry at Hanover College, where he also teaches modern European history and the history of science.