John Dunn to Give Henry L. Stimson Lecture on World Affairs at the MacMillan Center

April 2, 2011. New Haven, CT – John Dunn, a political theorist and emeritus Professor of Political Theory at King’s College, in Cambridge, will give a series of four lectures on “Beyond the Democratic Maze” over the next two weeks for the Henry L. Stimson Lecture on World Affairs. The first lecture, “Diagnosing Democracy’s Power,” will take place on Tuesday, April 12, at 4pm in room 203, Henry R. Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Avenue.

His second lecture, “Understanding Democracy’s Ascent,” will take place Wednesday, April 13, in Henry R. Luce Hall Auditorium. On Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20, he will lecture on “Recognizing Democracy’s Disorientation” (room 203) and “Recovering our Bearings: Fatality, Choice, and Comprehension” (Auditorium). Sponsored by the MacMillan Center and the Yale University Press, all lectures begin at 4pm and are free and open to the public.

Professor Dunn’s work focuses on applying a historical perspective to modern political theory. His early reputation was based upon the careful reconstruction of the political thought of John Locke. Much of his subsequent work - reflective essays, edited collections, and several books - has tackled substantive issues in political theory. He is the author of several books, including The Cunning of Unreason, and Setting the People Free: the Story of Democracy.

Since 1998, The MacMillan Center and the Yale University Press have maintained an arrangement whereby the manuscripts of occasional lectures by distinguished diplomats and foreign policy experts, invited and funded by the MacMillan Center, have been published by the Yale University Press. The funding for the lecture series comes from an anonymous donor, in honor of Henry L. Stimson, Yale College 1889, an attorney and statesman whose government service culminated with his tenure as Secretary of War during World War II.

Previous Stimson Lectures have included Political Order in Changing Societies by Samuel P. Huntington; Financial Crises in Emerging Markets by Alexandre Lamfalussy; Arms and Influence by Thomas C. Schelling; and The Arab Center, The Promise of Moderation by Ambassador Marwan Muasher.

Contact Information:

Marilyn Wilkes

The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale

(203) 432-3413