When Holcombe takes a step back, one common element of IHS programs that stands out to him is the community of scholars. For him, the most rewarding part of IHS programs is meeting with like-minded people who believe that smaller—rather than larger—government promotes growth and prosperity.
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Susan Love Brown on What Makes Society Thrive
At an IHS seminar concerning the theory of the state, Brown was introduced to the ideas of Robert Carneiro, especially his article “A Theory of the Origin of the State,” which was published in 1970. After this introduction, Brown explored thinkers like Herbert Spencer and Karl August Wittfogel. As Brown absorbed these theorists, she discovered that the state “had nothing to do with ideology. It was a fact that required an explanation.”
A Conversation with George Will on Liberalism and Conservatism
Conservatism has a grounding in the natural rights doctrine. These rights are essential to the …
What’s Your Publication Strategy?
When it comes to publishing, there are a lot of different approaches and finding the right strategy for you can depend on a variety of factors. As Fabio Rojas notes in a recent series of tweets, publication strategies vary by career stage, institution, and research area.
IHS Explores the Decline, the Resurgence, and the Promise of Civil Society in the United States
Fraternal societies whose members provided each other with mutual aid reached a pinnacle of popularity in the 1920s. Membership declined in the 1930s due in part to cultural changes and New Deal welfare programs, which appear to have crowded out fraternal societies, eventually reducing many to obsolescence.
Humane Studies Fellow Mario I. Juarez-Garcia Tackles the Philosophy of Corruption
Juarez-Garcia credits IHS for its focus on epistemic humility, offering programs like HSF and Discussion Colloquia that inspire graduate students to continue to discover new ways of thinking, even if it takes them outside of their own discipline.
Debating Climate Policy and Environmental Regulation
With regard to large-scale environmental problems, some argue that any policy response would fail to maximize welfare. They believe the best policy is no policy. Others claim policy responses can maximize welfare but must be constrained by liberal principles.
Stop Chasing the Mentorship ‘Unicorn’
When you have the right mentor, everything just clicks, and it can feel like magic. But as Fabio Rojas, professor of sociology at Indiana University Bloomington points out in a recent series of tweets, there is no “unicorn” of a mentor who checks all the boxes for you.
Liberty is for Everyone: Brandon Davis on How We Can Restore Trust in Our Institutions
workshops, experiences he says helped to shape his professional development. In addition to research support, …
Exploring the World History of Liberalism
IHS concluded its “World History of Liberalism” online seminar series. This was the first of three COVID-era experimental programs designed to replicate the experience of a graduate seminar in the online space, using materials students were unlikely to encounter in their coursework.
