McConnell Center begins “Democracy in America” series

By: Olivia Krauth

The McConnell Center kicked off their “Milestones of the 20^th Century: Democracy in America” series this past Tuesday with a presentation on Russell Kirk’s influential book “The Conservative Mind” on its 60^th anniversary.

The presentation was led by political scientist, Dr. Lee Cheek. He began the lecture by briefing the audience on Kirk’s life, and continued on to discuss the 10 canons that the book was divided into, placing emphasis on the book’s relevance now and in our country’s future.

Russell Kirk is considered the “Father of Modern Conservatism.” He wrote the book in 1953 as his doctoral dissertation. The book supports a mindset that focuses on “community and self-restraint,” according to Dr. Cheek.

The McConnell Center has three more events in the series, with the next talk occurring on September 26^th. All events in the series take place in the Chao Auditorium from 6-7 p.m.