Constructing the Constitutional Imagination: A Symposium in Honor of Ken I. Kersch
February 20, 2025 | 12:00 pm听| Murray Room | Please to Attend
Event Overview听
On February 20, 2026, the Clough Center will host a conference in honor of Ken I.听Kersch, who passed away last November. In addition to directing the Clough Center from 2008 to 2012,听Kersch听served as a professor in 海角论坛's Political Science Department, where he taught听classes on American conservatism, political thought, constitutional development, and civil liberties. A revered teacher and author of 5 books,听Kersch听was the recipient of, among other honors, the American Political Science Association's 2020 C. Herman Pritchett Award for the best book on law and courts.听
The Clough Center's conference will coincide with the publication of a special听issue of the听Journal of American Constitutional History听that engages with听Kersch's work in political science, history, and law. Speakers include Aziz Rana (Boston College), Sophia Lee (Penn), Mark Graber (Maryland), Justin Dyer (UT Austin), Mary Ziegler (UC Davis), Sanford Leinvson (UT Austin), Julie Novkov (SUNY Albany), Jonathan Gienapp (Stanford), Rogers Smith (Penn), Linda McClain (BU), James Fleming (BU), George Thomas (Claremont McKenna), Logan Sawyer (Georgia), Michael Dichio (Utah), Paul Herron (Providence), Sean Beienburg (Arizona State), Clement Fatovic (Florida International), Austin Steelman (Clemson), and Calvin TerBeek (Claremont McKenna).听
The Law School and Political Science departments are co-sponsoring this event.
More to Come!
February 20 |听Murray Room, Yawkey Athletic Center | to Attend | |
|---|---|
| 12:00-12:15PM | Opening Remarks Dennis J. Wieboldt III, J.D./Ph.D. Student in History,听University of Notre Dame听 听 Jonathan Laurence,听Professor of Political Science & Director,听Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy, Boston College 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 |
Panel One | |
| 12:20-1:30PM | Kersch and American Conservatism Panelists: Linda C. McClain, Robert Kent Professor of Law,听Boston University Logan E. Sawyer III,听 J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law,听University of Georgia James E. Fleming,听The Honorable Paul J. Liacos Professor of Law,听Boston University Julie Novkov,听Professor & Dean, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy,听State University of New York at Albany 听 Respondents: Sanford V. Levinson,听W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair in Law,听University of Texas at Austin Aziz Rana, J. Donald Monan, S.J., University Professor of Law and Government,听Boston College |
Panel Two | |
| 1:40-2:50PM | Kersch and American Liberalism Panelists: Calvin TerBeek,听Assistant Professor of Government,听Claremont McKenna College Mark Graber,听University System of Maryland Regents Professor of Law,听University of Maryland at College Park 听 Respondents: Jack M. Balkin,听Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment,听Yale University Clement Fatovic,听Professor of Politics and International Relations,听Florida International University |
| 2:50-3:00PM | Break |
Panel Three | |
| 3:00-4:10 PM | Kersh and Method in Law, History, and Political Science Panelists: Austin L. Steelman,听Assistant Professor of History,听Clemson University Michael A. Dichio,听Associate Professor of Political Science,听University of Utah George Thomas,听Burnet C. Wohlford Professor of American Political Institutions,听Claremont McKenna College Paul Herron,听Associate Professor of Political Science,听Providence College 听 Respondents: Rogers M. Smith,听Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Political Science,听University of Pennsylvania Jonathan Gienapp,听Associate Professor of History and Law,听Stanford University |
Panel Four | |
| 4:20-5:30PM | Kersch and The Constitution Today Chair: Sophia Z. Lee,听Bernard G. Segal Professor & Dean, Carey Law School,听University of Pennsylvania 听 Panelists: Mary R. Ziegler,听Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law,听University of California at Davis R. Shep Melnick,听Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., Professor of American Politics,听Boston College |
| 5:30-5:45PM | Closing Remarks Gerald M. Easter,听Professor of Political Science,听Chairperson, Department of Political Science,听Boston College |
| 5:45-6:30PM | Reception |
Parking is available at the nearby Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue Garages.
Boston College is also accessible via public transportation (MBTA B Line - Boston College).