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Scholar, presidential adviser to speak at St. Olaf Thursday

By David Gonnerman '90
February 25, 2008

Political philosopher, activist and author William Galston will speak at St. Olaf during a public presentation Thursday, Feb. 28, at 11:30 a.m. in the Buntrock Commons Ballroom. Galston will discuss his book, Liberal Pluralism: The Implications of Value Pluralism for Political Theory and Practice, with specific attention paid to questions of civic engagement. Galston will discuss ways to develop engaged citizens in a diverse world and what that means for St. Olaf as a liberal arts college.

Galston currently is Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books, including Liberal Purposes; The Practice of Liberal Pluralism; Public Matters: Politics, Policy, and Religion in the 21st Century; and Democracy at Risk: How Political Choices Undermine Citizen Participation and What We Can Do About It. He also has published widely in both academic and popular journals on a range of issues including presidential politics, family policy, education policy and civic education.

After serving as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and then receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1973, Galston taught for nearly a decade in the Department of Government at the University of Texas. In the 1990s he served as deputy assistant for domestic policy to President Clinton, and later as executive director for the National Commission on Civic Renewal. Galston also was director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, an organization he founded with support from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Civic Engagement and the Liberal Arts
Galston's lecture is part of St. Olaf's current Global Citizenship theme, which this spring focuses on "Civic Engagement and the Liberal Arts." Throughout the semester the college community will have a number of opportunities to consider the public purpose of a liberal arts education. Lectures on the topic will serve as a breeding ground for new ideas on what it means to be a thoughtful and active citizen in the world.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.