Scholars@Duke

• Background
• 

  Education, Training, & Certifications

  • Ph.D., The University of Chicago 1981
• 

  Duke Appointment History

  • Acting Chair, Department of Political Science, Political Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2006 - 2007
  • Professor of Philosophy, Philosophy, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1998 - 2001
  • Associate Professor with Tenure, Political Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1991 - 1995
  • Assistant Professor, Political Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1983 - 1990
• Recognition
• 

  In the News

  • DEC 14, 2015

    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    Op-ed: Here's the question journalists should ask of candidates

  • DEC 14, 2015

    The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

    What Journalists Should Ask of Candidates

  • SEP 26, 2014

    WUNC

    How to crowdsource a constitution

  • AUG 21, 2013

    Gillespie New A.B. Duke Faculty Director
• 

  Awards & Honors

  • Phi Beta Kappa-Honorary. Unknown. May 2010
  • Fellow. National Humanities Center. 2004
• Expertise
• 

  Subject Headings

  • Philosophy
• 

  Global Scholarship

  • Expertise

    • France (Country) 
    • Germany (Country) 
• Research
• 

  Selected Grants

  • The John Locke Project for the Visions of Freedom Living Learning Community awarded by Jack Miller Center 2020 - 2022
  • The American Founding and Political Development in the Context of Western Civilization: A Proposal for funding PhD students in Political Science at Duke University awarded by Department of Education 2018 - 2021
  • A Constitution Day Celebration at Duke University awarded by Jack Miller Center 2015 - 2016
  • The Duke Program in American Values and Institutions awarded by National Endowment for the Humanities 2004 - 2010
  • NEH Summer Institute (1994): Plato and the Polis awarded by National Endowment for the Humanities 1993 - 1994
  • Ratifying the Constitution: Ideas and Interests in the Several American States awarded by National Endowment for the Humanities 1986 - 1988
• Publications & Artistic Works
• 

  Selected Publications

  • Books

    • Gillespie, M. A. The Theological Origins of Modernity, Turkish edition, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A. The Theological Origins of Modernity, Chinese edition with a new Preface. Human Science adn Technology Press, 2012.
    • Gillespie, M. A. The Theological Origins of Modernity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and G. Brennan, eds. Homo Politicus, Homo Economicus, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and G. Brennan, eds. Homo Politicus, Homo Economicus, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. Nihilism Before Nietzsche. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.
    • Gillespie, M., and M. Lienesch, eds. Ratifying the Constitution. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1989.
    • Gillespie, M., and T. B. Strong, eds. Nietzsche’s New Seas: Exploration in Philosophy, Aesthetics and Politics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.
    • Gillespie, M. A. Hegel, Heidegger, and Ground of History. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1984.

  • Academic Articles

    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Theological Origins and Underpinning of the Longing for Total Revolution.” Critical Review, January 1, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913811.2021.1960732.
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    • Allen Gillespie, M. “On Debt and Redemption: Friedrich Nietzsche's Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence.” Journal of Religious Ethics 46, no. 2 (June 1, 2018): 267–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/jore.12218.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “On Nietzsche's final teaching: A response to my critics.” Interpretation (United States) 44, no. 3 (March 1, 2018): 439–46.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Question of the Examined Life.” Review of Politics 80, no. 2 (March 1, 2018): 223–33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0034670517001279.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “In the Shadow of Modernity” Orientale Lumen IV (2014).
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Question for Fuller.” First Things, no. April (2014).
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Jean Elshtain: In Memorium.” Review of Politics, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and J. S. Harpham. “Sherlock Holmes, Crime, And The Anxieties Of Globalization.” Critical Review 23, no. 4 (December 1, 2011): 449–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913811.2011.664851.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “'March Madness'.” The Point, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Response to my critics.” Review of Politics 72, no. 4 (September 1, 2010): 705–10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0034670510000616.
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    • Gillespie, M. A., and L. Perkins. “Political anti-theology.” Critical Review 22, no. 1 (March 1, 2010): 65–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913811003625489.
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    • Gillespie, M. A., and Luc Perkins. “Political Anti-Theology: Mark Lilla’s The Stillborn God.” Critical Review, March 2010.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Public Choice: Afterword.” Public Choice 137, no. 3–4 (December 1, 2008): 523–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-008-9323-9.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “'Slouching Toward Bethlehem to Be Born', On the Nature and Meaning of Nietzsche's Superman.” Journal of Nietzsche Studies 30 (2005): 50–70.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Philosophy and Rhetoric in Kant's Third Antinomy.” Political Science Reviewer 30 (2001): 7–33.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Martin Heidegger's Aristotelian national socialism.” Political Theory 28, no. 2 (January 1, 2000): 140–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591700028002002.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche and the anthropology of nihilism.” Nietzsche Studien 28, no. 1 (January 1, 1999): 141–55. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110244458.141.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “The theological origins of modernity.” Critical Review 13, no. 1–2 (January 1, 1999): 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913819908443520.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche and the Premodernist Critique of Postmodernity.” Critical Review 2, no. 2 (October 1997): 537–54.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “The New Hegel.” Political Theory 25, no. 4 (January 1, 1997): 584–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591797025004005.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche and the premodernist critique of postmodernity.” Critical Review 11, no. 4 (January 1, 1997): 537–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913819708443475.
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    • Gillespie, M. “Beyond east and west: A Reply to Isaac.” Political Theory 23, no. 4 (January 1, 1995): 670–74. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591795023004009.
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    • Gillespie, Michael Allen. “Books in Review.” Political Theory 20, no. 1 (February 1992): 173–76. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591792020001014.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Liberal education and liberal democracy.” Academic Questions 3, no. 4 (September 1, 1990): 65–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02682904.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Liberal Democracy and Liberal Education.” Academic Question 3, no. 4 (1990): 65–68.
    • GILLESPIE, M. A. “TEMPORALITY AND HISTORY IN THE THOUGHT OF HEIDEGGER,MARTIN.” Revue Internationale De Philosophie 43, no. 168 (1989): 33–51.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “History and Temporality in the Thought of Heidegger.” Revue Internationale De Phiosophie 43 (1989): 33–51.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Heidegger's Nietzsche.” Political Theory 15, no. 3 (January 1, 1987): 424–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591787015003009.
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    • Gillespie, Michael Allen. “Hegel's Liberalism - Michael H. Mitias: Moral Foundation of the State in Hegel's Philosophy of Right. (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press, 1984. Pp. 197. $23.00, paper.).” The Review of Politics 47, no. 3 (July 1985): 468–69. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0034670500037086.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Montaigne's Humanistic Liberalism.” Journal of Politics 47, no. 1 (February 1985): 40–59.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Montaigne's Humanistic Liberalism.” The Journal of Politics 47, no. 1 (January 1, 1985): 140–59. https://doi.org/10.2307/2131069.
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    • GILLESPIE, M. A. “HEIDEGGER 'BEING AND TIME' AND THE POSSIBILITY OF POLITICAL-PHILOSOPHY - BLITZ,M.” Interpretation a Journal of Political Philosophy 11, no. 3 (1983): 399–400.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Problems of Modernity and the Possibilities of Human Thriving (In preparation).” Perspectives Libres 12, no. Sept (n.d.).
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nihilism After Nietzsche (In preparation).” Bollettino Filosofico, no. Nihilism and Modernity. Rethinking Modern Tragicalness (n.d.).
    • Gillespie, M. A., and J. Harpham. “Life and Thought: The Structure of Montaigne's Essays and the Idea of the Self (In preparation),” n.d.

  • Book Sections

    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Inevitable Entanglement of Religion and Politics.” In Boston Studies in Philosophy, Religion and Public Life, 6:57–73, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1082-2_5.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Machiavelli’s Modernity and the Christian Tradition.” In The Modern Turn. Catholic University Press, 2014.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “On Debt.” Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Doing Nothing or Nothing Doing.” In Nihilism and Contemporary Politics. Van Leer Institute, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Radical Philosophy and Political Theology.” In Religion and Modern European Thought, edited by Graham Ward, George Pattison, and Nicholas Adams. Oxford University Press, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and Lucas Perkins. “The Dangerous Divide : Between Weak Thought and Practical Politics,".” In On Vattimo and Zabala’s Hermeneutic Communism On Vattimo and Zabala’s Hermeneutic Communism, edited by Silvia Mazzini. Continuum Press, 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Radical Hopes: Apocalyptic Longings in Nineteenth Century Philosophy.” In The Apocalyptic Complex – Origins, Histories, Permanence, edited by Nadia Al-Bagdadi, Matthias Riedl, and David Marno. CEU Press, 2012.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Martin Heidegger.” In The Cambridge Dictionary of Political Thought. Cambridge University Press, 2012.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Dostoevsky and Nietzsche: Murder, Madness, and Suicide. Nihilism and the Doctrine of the Eternal Recurrence.” In Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, edited by Jeffrey Metzger. Continuum Press, 2012.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and Keegan Calanan. “Toward Noon: Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals.” In A Companion to Friedrich Nietzsche, edited by Paul Bishop. Camden House, 2012.
    • Gillespie, M. “Nihilism in the nineteenth century: From absolute subjectivit y to superhumanity.” In The Edinburgh Critical History of Nineteenth-Century Philosophy, 278–93, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Tragedy of the Goods and the Pursuit of Happiness.” In In Search of Goodness, edited by Ruth W. Grant. University of Chicago Press, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nihilism.” In , Edinburgh Critical History of Philosophy. : Edinburgh University Press, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and K. F. Callanan. “On the genealogy of morals.” In A Companion to Friedrich Nietzsche: Life and Works, 255–78, 2010.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Hegel.” In The International Encyclopedia of Political Science, edited by George Kurian et al, 2009.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Toward a New Aristocracy: Nietzsche Contra Plato on the Role a Warrior Elite.” In Nietzsche, Nihilism and the Philosophy of the Future, edited by J. Metzger. London & New York: Continuum, 2009.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Afterword.” In Homo Politicus, Homo Economicus, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Players and Spectators: Sports and Ethical Training in the American University.” In Debating Moral Education, edited by Elizabeth Kiss and Peter Euben. Duke University Press, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche.” In The International Encyclopedia of Political Science, edited by George Kurian et al. CQ Press, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Plato and Nietzsche on Warriors.” In Nietzche’s Nihilistic Anti-Egalitarianism, edited by Jeffrey Metzger. Continuum, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Sovereign Selves and Sovereign States: Political Theory for a New Millenium.” In Freedom and the Human PErson, edited by Richard Velkley. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University Press, 2007.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Distorting Mirrors: Reflecting on Europe and America,.” In Europe and America in Translation, edited by Britta Waldschmidt-Nelson, Markus Hunemorder, and Meike Zwingenberger. Winter Verlag, 2006.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Search for Immediacy and the Problem of the Political in Existentialism and Phenomenology,.” In The Blackwell Companion to Phenomenology, edited by Hubert Dreyfus and Mark Wrathall. Oxford: Blackwell, 2006.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Where Did All the Evils Go.” In Moral Judgment and the Problem of Evil, edited by Ruth Grant. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Forward.” In The Mask of Enlightenment: Nietzsche’s Zarathustra (Stanley Rosen). New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche, Friedrich.” In The Encyclopedia of Protestantism, edited by Hans Hillerbrand. New York: Routledge, 2003.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “American Public Philosophy After the Cold War.” In Public Philosophy and Political Science: Crisis and Reflection. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2002.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Liberal Education and the Idea of the West.” In The West and the Liberal Arts, edited by Ralph Hancock. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Descartes and the Question of Toleration.” In Early Modern Skepticism and the Origins of Toleration, edited by Alan Levine. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Political Parties and the American Founding.” In American Political Parties and Constitutional Politics, edited by Peter Shramm and Bradford Wilson, 17–43. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1993.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “George Grant and the Tradition of Political Philosophy.” In By Loving Our Own: George Grant and the Legacy of the Lament for a Nation. Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 1990.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Masschusetts: Creating Consensus.” In Ratifying the Constitution, edited by Michael Allen Gillespie and Michael Lienesch. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1989.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Death and Desire: War and Bourgoisification in the Thought of Hegel.” In Understanding the Political Spirit, edited by Catherine Zuckert. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche’s Musical Politics.” In Nietzsche’s New Seas, edited by Michael Allen Gillespie and Tracy B. Strong. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.
    • Gillespie, M. A., and Michael Lienesch. “Religion and the Resurgence of Conservatism.” In The Resurgence of Conservatism in Anglo-American Democracies, edited by Barry Cooper, William Mishler, and Allan Kornberg. Durham: Duke University Press, 1988.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Martin Heidegger.” In The History of Political Philosophy, edited by Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Beyond Secularism: The Inevitable Entanglement of Religion and Political Life (In preparation).” Boston University, n.d.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Hermeneutic Communism (In preparation).” edited by S. Mazzini. New York: Continuum Press, n.d.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Nietzsche's Final Teaching (In preparation).” University of Chicago Press, n.d.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Socinianism and the Political Theology of Liberalism (In preparation).” In Oxford Handbook of Political Theology, edited by M. Kessler and S. Casey. Oxford: Oxford University Press, n.d.

  • Other Articles

    • Gillespie, M. A. “Too Many Wins for North Carolina to Reject Medicaid Expansion.” Raleigh News and Observer, February 19, 2013., 2013.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Just One of Those We Lost.” Raleigh News and Observer, September 11, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Budget Pain Must Fall on All.” Raleigh News and Observer, Op Ed, 2011.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Winners All in NCAA Basketball Championship Game.” The Herald Sun, 2010.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “A Place to Learn and Reflect: Course to Explore Ideals of Ethical Life.” Greensboro  News Record, 2009.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “On Gold Medals and Team Sports.” The Durham Herald Sun, 2008.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Column Was Malicious Nonsense.” Durham Herald Sun, 2006.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Raise the Cigarette Tax.” Durham Herald Sun, 2002.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “County Failing to Control Vicious Packs of Dogs.” Durham Herald Sun, 2001.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Scholarly Issues Guided Lomparis Decision.” Durham Herald Sun, 1994.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Do Subsidies Keep Health Plan Afloat?” Duke Dialogue, 1994.

  • Digital Publications

    • Gillespie, M. A. “Degradation.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 14, 2014.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “The Anti-Trinitarian Origins of Liberalism,” 2014.
    • Gillespie, M. A. “Science and the Humanities,” 2010.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. “Response to Robert Pippin,” 2010.
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    • Gillespie, M. A. ““Backgammon Anyone?” A response to Alexander Rosenberg’s “The Disenchanted Naturalist’s Guide to Reality,” 2009.
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    • Gillepsie, M. A. “Teaching Human Rights (In preparation).” National Humanities Center, n.d.
• Teaching & Mentoring
• 

  Recent Courses

  • HOUSECS 59: House Course 2021
  • PHIL 566S: Topics in Early Modern Political Thought from Machiavelli to Mills 2021
  • POLSCI 493-1: Senior Research Independent Study Political Theory 2021
  • POLSCI 579S: Topics in Early Modern Political Thought from Machiavelli to Mills 2021
  • POLSCI 890-1: Political Theory 2021
  • CLST 571S: Ancient Political Philosophy 2020
  • GERMAN 576S: Nietzsche's Political Philosophy 2020
  • HOUSECS 59: House Course 2020
  • PHIL 291: Fall Independent Study 2020
  • PHIL 537S: Nietzsche's Political Philosophy 2020
  • PHIL 571: Ancient Political Philosophy 2020
  • PHIL 791: FALL GRAD DIRECTED READING, SPRING GRAD DIRECTED READING 2020
  • POLSCI 493-1: Senior Research Independent Study Political Theory 2020
  • POLSCI 575S: Ancient Political Philosophy 2020
  • POLSCI 577S: Nietzsche's Political Philosophy 2020
  • POLSCI 890-1: Political Theory 2020
  • FOCUS 195FS: Special Topics in Focus 2019
  • HOUSECS 59: House Course 2019
  • PHIL 123FS: Freedom and Responsibility 2019
  • PHIL 791: FALL GRAD DIRECTED READING, SPRING GRAD DIRECTED READING 2019
  • POLSCI 175FS: Freedom and Responsibility 2019
  • POLSCI 890-1: Political Theory 2019
• Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
• 

  Presentations & Appearances

  • “Hobbes, Locke, and the Welfare State”. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Human Rights and the State”.. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Liberty, Politics, and Skepticism in Cicero and Montaigne”. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Machiavelli at 500,”. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Nietzsche and Music”. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Symposium on Judgment,”. December 15, 2013  2013
  • “The Politics of Non-Political Spaces". December 15, 2013  2013
  • “Human Rights Education,”. June 21, 2013  2013
  • “Religion and Realism in Political Thought,”. June 1, 2013  2013
  • “Nietzsche, the Greeks, and Our Experience of Sports,”. February 20, 2013  2013
  • Distopia and Technology, Con-convenor. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Doing Nothing or Nothing Doing. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Hobbes and Religion. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Human Rights and the Humanities. November 30, 2012  2012
  • In the Shadow of Modernity. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Machiavelli and the Christian Tradition. November 30, 2012  2012
  • The Anti-Trinitarinian Origins of Liberalism. November 30, 2012  2012
  • The Engaged Mind. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Tragic VIsion, Democratic Hope, Co-convenor. November 30, 2012  2012
  • Religion and Politics. April 27, 2012  2012
  • Machiavelli and Dante. April 26, 2012  2012
  • Education Today. December 5, 2011  2011
  • Hegel's Political Philosophy. December 5, 2011  2011
  • Kant's Ethical Teaching. December 5, 2011  2011
  • Religion and Politics. December 5, 2011  2011
  • The Anti-Trinitarian Origins of Liberalism. December 1, 2011  2011
  • The Jack Miller Philadelphia Colloquium. November 1, 2011  2011
  • Machivelli's Modernism. October 28, 2011  2011
  • The Nature of Debt. July 19, 2011  2011
  • The Future of Political Theory. February 15, 2011  2011
  • Martin Heidegger's Messianism. July 1, 2010  2010
  • Strategic Planning in College Athletics. May 26, 2010  2010
  • Who are you? Phi Bet Kappa Lecture. May 13, 2010  2010
  • Sovereignty in the Twentieth Century. April 1, 2010  2010
  • Beyond the Secular. March 1, 2010  2010
  • Beyond Secularism: The Inevitable Entanglement of Religion and Political Life. November 6, 2009  2009
  • Political Theory and Political Philosophy. May 26, 2009  2009
  • Toward a New Aristocracy: Nietzsche Contra Plato on the Training of Warriors,”. May 1, 2009  2009
  • “Religion in Modernity: The Secularization Thesis Reconsidered,”. April 16, 2009  2009
  • The Incommmenurability of the Good. March 26, 2009  2009
  • Author Meets Critics: Michael Gillespie’s The Theological Origins of Modernity. September 1, 2008  2008
  • Nietzsche, Strauss, and Mann: The Encounter of Music and Philosophy. April 1, 2008  2008
  • Sovereignty and the Right of Revolution. April 1, 2008  2008
• 

  Service to the Profession

  • member. Political Theory. 2019  2019

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