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Alumni NewsWire

Political Science Program Texas State University

Spring Edition

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TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITYLetter from the ChairChair Dr. Kenneth L. Grasso introduces the

Spring 21 Alumni NewsWire Magazine

Welcome to the Spring edition of our program’s Alumni NewsWire!

The Spring semester is typically a very busy time for our political science program. Despite the continuing COVID-19 restrictions, we are happy to continue to offer quality events for students and alumni alike. Our ongoing Discourse in Democracy (DiD) project continues to bring speakers from around the country and the world, as well as provide a variety of means for student involvement, during the pandemic. Last year, DiD speakers included Pulitzer Prize-winning Tom Ricks of the New York Times, Northwestern University's Dr. David Zarefsky, and the University of Virginia's Dr. James Ceaser.

This Spring edition of the Alumni NewsWire includes information on some of this year's speakers: the Clements Center for National Security Senior Fellow Dr. Mark G. Pomar, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Dr. Carl Richard, and Baylor University's Dr. Francis J. Beckwith.

Please see our calendar of events on our website for more information and a complete list of events.

By all means, stay in touch! You can reach out to us at politicalscience@txstate.edu with any questions you may have about the department's event schedule or to update your alumni information.

Discourse in Democracy presents

U.S.-Russia Relationswith Dr. Mark G. PomarSenior Fellow, Clements Center for National Security,former Director of the USSR Division at the Voice of America, and former Executive Director of the Board for International Broadcasting.

Tuesday, February 23rd6:30-7:45 pm via Zoom

Registration: https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlc-2spjIvE9TmF6KItv8NYtEBdqC4qQdX.

Questions please contact Dr. Ionut Popescu, icp11@txstate.edu.

It you require accomodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.2143 at least 72 hours in advance of the event.Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

The Founders on Religion, Morality, and Republicanism

Dr. Carl Richard, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Wednesday, March 3rd, 7:00-8:15 pm

Alkek 250 and via Zoom

Discourse in Democracy presents

It you require accomodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.2143 at least 72 hours in advance of the event.Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

Please contact Dr. Ken Grasso, kg03@txstate.edu.

Registration: https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlc-ir-rT8tGNzPz50ivWyfdhyKNpLk_nr1.

Discourse in Democracy and the Department of Political Science present

Dr. Francis J. BeckwithBaylor University

Where Do Natural Rights Come From?Thursday, March 11, 6:30 pm

UAC 310

Francis J. Beckwith is Professor of Philosophy, Affiliate Professor of Political Science, and Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Philosophy, at Baylor University, where he also serves as Resident Scholar

in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR). Among his over twenty books are Never Doubt Thomas: The Catholic Aquinas as Evangelical and Protestant, published in 2019 by Baylor University Press, as well as

Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice (2007) and Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith (2015), both published by Cambridge University Press. Taking Rites Seriously is the

winner of the American Academy of Religion’s prestigious 2016 Book Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion in Constructive-Reflective Studies. A graduate of the Washington University School of Law in St.

Louis (M.J.S.) and Fordham University, where he earned the M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy, he has held visiting faculty appointments at the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Notre Dame, and Princeton

University. His website is http://francisbeckwith.com.

This event is co-sponsored by the Thomistic Institute at Texas State University

Please contact Dr. Thomas Varacalli, tfv2@txstate.eduIf you require accomodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.2143 at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

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TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

601 University DrivePolitical Science Program

Undergraduate Academic Center, 355San Marcos, Texas 78666

Phone: 512.245.2143Fax: 512.245.7815

MEMBER THE TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM