Celebrating The Public Interest

Our senior editor Robert George asked me to post this announcement, with the note that "everyone is welcome to attend, and there is no admission fee. We've got a great line-up of speakers." The conference is presented by the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, which he directs. Another senior editor, Wilfred McClay, is one of the speakers.

The Public Interest and the Making of American Public Policy: 1965-2005
November 30-December 1, 2006
Princeton University
Computer Science Building Room 104
Corner of William Street and Olden Streets

Thursday, November 30

3:30-5:00 p.m. SESSION 1:  Neoconservatism and the American Commonwealth

Speaker One:  The Constitutional Idea – James Ceaser, University of Virginia
Respondents:  William Kristol, The Weekly Standard, Adam Wolfson, former Editor, The Public Interest, Roger Scruton, Visiting Professor, Princeton University
Speaker Two:  Neoconservatives and the Courts – Ken I. Kersch, Princeton University
Moderator: Robert P. George, Princeton University

5:15-6:45 p.m. SESSION 2:  Social Policy and Urban Policy

Speaker One: Welfare Policy – Larry Mead, New York University
Speaker Two: Crime and Urban Policy – John DiIulio, University of Pennsylvania
Speaker Three: Social Policy and Old Age (Medicare/Social Security) – Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review
Moderator Adam Wolfson, former Editor, The Public Interest

Friday, December 1

9:15-10:45 a.m. SESSION 3:  The Character of American Capitalism

Speaker One: The Modern Corporation – Irwin Stelzer, Hudson Institute
Speaker Two: Economic Policy – Murray Weidenbaum, Washington University
Moderator: John Londregan, Princeton University

11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m SESSION 4:  Education

Speaker One:  Primary and Secondary Schools – Joseph Viteritti, Hunter College, CUNY
Speaker Two:  The Universities – Harvey C. Mansfield, Harvard University
Speaker Three:  Multiculturalism and Affirmative Action – William B. Allen, Visiting Fellow, James Madison Program, Princeton University
Moderator: Eric Cohen, Ethics and Public Policy Center

2:15-3:45 p.m. SESSION 5:  Manners, Morals, and Modern America

Speaker One: Marriage, Children, and Family – Kay Hymowitz, Manhattan Institute
Speaker Two: Bioethics – Diana Schaub, Loyola College in Maryland
Speaker Three: Religion and American Politics – Wilfred McClay, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Moderator: Eric Cohen, Ethics and Public Policy Center

4:00-5:45 p.m. ROUNDTABLE ON The Public Interest
Participants:  Nathan Glazer, Harvard University; William Galston, The Brookings Institution; William Bennett
Moderator:  William Kristol, The Weekly Standard