THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT:
A REPUBLIC, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT
HILTON PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, USA, 3-5 August, 2017
Suggested Themes:
It is said that the American system of constitutional, democratic self-government presupposes a virtuous people; it is unsuitable for any other. When asked what kind of government the Founders established, Benjamin Franklin replied famously: “A Republic, if you can keep it.” James Madison defined the central challenge of the new American system in Federalist No. 51 as enabling the government to govern, while limiting itself. Madison recalled that if men were angels, no government would be necessary. But, among men, every power and position would need a countervailing power and position to achieve a balance, limiting the exercise of power. The Anti-Federalists were skeptical concerning a federal government that could concentrate power at the center, undermining the states and the God-given, inalienable rights reserved to the people. They did not want another king. Alexis de Tocqueville marveled in Democracy in America (1835-40) at the American genius where the unifying role of religion–despite a great diversity of denominations—anchored a moral-cultural framework animating self-rule. Yet Tocqueville foresaw the democratic penchant for equality of condition as necessitating ever more government intervention and concentration of power at the center ultimately endangering both liberty and equality. Can a nation long endure that is now divided not only along class, but racial and ethnic, fault lines, while its religious and moral inheritance has attenuated? Can the American experiment in popular self government be revitalized by strengthening civil society rooted in moral-spiritual renewal?
KEYNOTE: Friday, August 4, 2017:
“A Forgotten Republican Virtue:
The Uncommon Grace of Henrietta Mears”
Dr. Arlin C. Migliazzo, Whitworth University
THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT 2017 SYMPOSIUM GUIDELINES:
THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT SYMPOSIUM 2017 endeavors to bring together scholars from a wide range of disciplines and denominations for an exciting international conference that takes both scholarship and faith seriously. Symposium Venue: JIS Symposium 2017 is co-sponsored by IIR-ICSA-JIS in the City of the Roses–the world-famous Tournament of Roses–in sunny Southern California, with many cultural/sightseeing opportunities. Send Abstracts (250 words) by: March 1, 2017, to: Dr. O. Gruenwald, JIS Editor, 1065 Pine Bluff Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107, USA, per e-mail (no attachments) to: JIS 2017 Symposium (click for e-mail). Include: Paper Title, First & Last Name, faculty or student, mailing address, phone & e-mail. Publication: Fully-developed papers will be considered for publication in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies XXX 2018. Bonus: All attendees will receive a complimentary JIS copy. Conference Web: www.jis3.org/symposium2017. Registration: Symposium participants must preregister: $100 by 15 March 2017; $125 after 15 March 2017; $150 after 1 May 2017. Please note that there are no travel grants: participants (or their institutions) are expected to pay all expenses, including a modest registration fee (non-refundable, but tax-deductible). For less expensive lodging, contact: www.visitpasadena.com.
THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT 2017 SYMPOSIUM STRUCTURE:
Check-In: Thursday, August 3, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Hilton Pasadena. Reception: Thursday, August 3, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Main Symposium Program: Friday, August 4, 8:45 AM – 6:00 PM; Keynote: Friday, August 4. Prayer Breakfast: Saturday, August 5. Format: Multidisciplinary panels and papers. Participants are encouraged to attend the entire conference to enhance dialogue, synergy, and synthesis, as well as fellowship. Presenting a paper is not a prerequisite for participation. Indicate if you prefer to serve as discussant. Family members enjoy the reduced student registration rate. Audio-Visual Equipment: Bring laptop or flash drive if desired for PowerPoint presentation. Cultural/Ecclesial/Sightseeing: Before or after the conference. Optional Field Trips: Norton Simon Museum, Huntington Library & Gardens, Pasadena.
TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS:
Lodging: We recommend that conference participants make their hotel and airline reservations as soon as possible. Hilton Pasadena Reservations: 1-800-445-8667; 1-626-577-1000. Cultural/sightseeing/travel/accommodations: Contact Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitpasadena.com; 1-800-307-7977 or 1-626-795-9311. Bring an alarm clock and a sweater or jacket for cooler mornings and evenings. Ground Transportation: Hilton Pasadena (168 S. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101) may be reached from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via shuttles, e.g., Super Shuttle (shared ride $25): 1-800-258-3826, or rent-a-car (ca. 45 minute drive).
THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT 2017 REGISTRATION FORM:
First and Last Name (Please Print)
________________________________________________________________________________________
Institution/Street Address _________________________________________________________________________________
City __________________________________ State _________________ ZIP__________
Telephone ________________________ E-Mail __________________________________