Dole Institute

Dr. Cameron Zinsou: “Operation Dragoon: The Allied Invasion of Southern France in World War II”
2023-06-01 15:00 - 16:15 (America/Chicago) | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Operation Dragoon: The Allied Invasion of Southern France in World War II”
Dr. Cameron Zinsou
Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
Operation Dragoon (formerly Anvil) was one of the most contentious Allied operations undertaken during the Second World War. It was also the most successful amphibious assault of the conflict. This lecture reveals the debates and circumstances that led to Dragoon’s execution and analyzes the how and why it almost did not occur.
Dr. Cameron Zinsou is an Assistant Professor of History in the Department of Military History at the Command and General Staff College. His research focuses on the intersection of occupation, requisitions, civil/military relations, and citizenship in World War II France. Dr. Zinsou has a manuscript under contract with the University Press of Kansas, Occupied: Requisitions, Meaning, and the French Experience during World War II. He has also featured on numerous media platforms including multiple podcasts and the Smithsonian Channel’s documentary series World War II Battles in Color and has publications in the New York Times and War on the Rocks.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

Landmark Activity Days
2023-06-02 12:00 - 2023-06-04 16:00, 2023-06-09 12:00 - 2023-06-11 16:00, 2023-06-16 12:00 - 2023-06-18 16:00, 2023-06-23 12:00 - 2023-06-25 16:00, 2023-06-30 12:00 - 2023-07-02 16:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Kids and families, come visit the Dole Institute for fun summer activities – scavenger hunts, crafts, games, etc. Including a special opportunity to contribute your own art to our commemorative Bob Dole tribute earthwork!
Your artwork will be laid into the earthwork in July and in place for our Landmark Celebration of Bob Dole’s 100th birthday and the Dole Institute’s 20th anniversary on July 22.
Thank you to our Landmark Event Sponsors AARP-Kansas and Microsoft and all our season’s supporters:
https://doleinstitute.org/landmark/

Russia's continuing war in Ukraine: drones, high tech, and trenches
2023-06-08 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Russia’s war on Ukraine began 16-months ago, with no end in sight. On 8 June, two scholars of war, Kevin Benson, Ph.D., Colonel, US Army (ret), and Prof. Chris Marsh, Ph.D., National Defense University, will present an updated assessment of the Russia-Ukraine war to date and offer their projections on how the war might progress.
Kevin Benson graduated from West Point in 1977 and served in the US Army for 30 years, retiring in the rank of colonel. He commanded soldiers, served as the lead planner for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and concluded his career as the Director of the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, KS. He earned a PhD in American history from KU in 2011 and was also a Dole Fellow in 2011.
Christopher Marsh is an associate professor at the Joint Special Operations Master of Arts (JSOMA) program at Fort Bragg, a division of the College of International Security Affairs of the National Defense University. Marsh is an expert on Russian and Chinese approaches to special operations, irregular warfare, military strategy, and foreign policy. Dr. Marsh is the author of several books on Russian affairs and comparative Russian-Chinese politics. He has published over 90 book chapters and journal articles on topics ranging from Russian strategy to Chinese conceptions of deterrence. He is currently writing a book on Russian irregular warfare and special operations.
This program is presented in Partnership with the KU Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies.

Landmarks in Leadership: Bob Dole’s Legacy at 100 Years
2023-06-14 12:00 - 2024-03-31 16:00 | Elizabeth Dole Gallery & Reading Room, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, 66045, United States
On display now through March 31 in the Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room

Senator Bob Dole’s leadership shaped Congress, our nation, and the world. See his life and legacy through your eyes by viewing our special exhibit, Landmarks in Leadership: Bob Dole’s Legacy at 100 Years.
To commemorate his 100th birthday, the Dole Archives presents never-displayed materials highlighting his landmark career. Featuring objects, manuscripts, and photographs from the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections, the exhibit tells the story of major moments in Senator Dole’s career through archival collections, such as a vintage 1968 Dole for Senate billboard, a scale model of the Dole Institute, and rocks used for the construction of the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Thank you to our Landmark Event Sponsors AARP-Kansas and Microsoft and all our season’s supporters.

Landmark Work Day
2023-06-26 10:00 - 15:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Come watch Stan Herd and his team at work on our commemorative Bob Dole tribute earthwork on the Dole Institute lawn.
Kids: contribute your own art to our commemorative Bob Dole tribute earthwork!
Your artwork will be laid into the earthwork in July and in place for our Landmark Celebration of Bob Dole’s 100th birthday and the Dole Institute’s 20th anniversary on July 22.
Thank you to our Landmark Event Sponsors AARP-Kansas and Microsoft and all our season’s supporters:
https://doleinstitute.org/landmark/
Stay for the film screening “Gumbo Coalition” presented in partnership with the Free State Festival.

Gumbo Coalition Film Screening with Janet Murguía | Free State Festival
2023-06-26 19:00 - 21:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Dole Institute will host the opening night film of the Free State Festival on Monday, June 26 at 7 p.m. with a screening of “Gumbo Coalition.” This documentary follows two visionary Civil Rights leaders, Marc Morial and Janet Murguía, as they work to empower African American and Latino American communities through three turbulent years in America. Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple, the film takes us on a journey into their lives, homes and the family histories that motivate their mission to achieve a more just and equitable community. After the film, David Tamez of Lawrence Talks will conduct an interview with UnidosUS President Janet Murguía, followed by an audience question & answer session.
Link for more info: https://freestatefestival.org/event/gumbo-coalition/

Landmark Work Day
2023-07-02 10:00 - 15:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Celebrate Independence Day weekend at the Dole Institute!
Watch Stand Herd and his team at work on our commemorative Bob Dole tribute earthwork on the Dole Institute lawn and contribute your own art.
Your artwork will be laid in the earthwork in July and in place for our Landmark Celebration of Bob Dole’s 100th birthday and the Dole Institute’s 20th anniversary on July 22.
Thank you to our Landmark Sponsors AARP-Kansas and Microsoft and all our season’s supporters:
https://doleinstitute.org/landmark/

CANCELED: Dr. Martin Clemis: "Invasion and Counter invasion: Vietnam, 1976-1979"
2023-07-06 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Ft. Leavenworth program scheduled for July 6th has been cancelled. We hope you join us for the next program in the series “The Three Invasions of Serbia in 1914” on Thursday, August 3 at 3 p.m.
On December 25, 1978, soldiers from the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) crossed into Cambodia as part of a punitive expedition against the Khmer Rouge. Three months later, in response to this incursion, the People’s Republic of China sent combat troops into Vietnam’s northern provinces. The Vietnamese invasion of Democratic Kampuchea and Chinese counter-invasion of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam marked the beginning of the Third Indochina War, an unforeseen and unprecedented conflict that pitted three regional communist powers against one another in the pursuit of ethnonationalist objectives. This lecture will examine the origins, conduct, and outcome of these military invasions, and discuss their historical implications on the global Cold War.
Martin G. Clemis is an associate professor in the Department of Military History at the Command and General Staff College. He is the author of The Control War: The Struggle for South Vietnam, 1968-1975 (University of Oklahoma Press, 2018), and a contributing author in Beyond the Quagmire: New Interpretations of the Vietnam Conflict (University of North Texas Press, 2019), Drawdowns: The American Way of Postwar (New York University Press, 2017), and War and Geography: The Spatiality of Organized Mass Violence (Ferdinand Schoningh, 2017). Martin has had articles published in Army History and Small Wars and Insurgencies.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

A Landmark Celebration
2023-07-22 10:00 - 17:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
A LANDMARK CELEBRATION FOR A LEGENDARY LEADER
The year 2023 marks the Dole Institute’s 20th Anniversary and 100 years since the birth of renowned Kansan, veteran, legislator and statesman, Senator Bob Dole. The Dole Institute celebrates thanks to our generous corporate and individual sponsors, in honor of Senator Dole’s legacy.
Join us for our Landmark Celebration on July 22, 2023!
Free public events from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Details at https://doleinstitute.org/landmark/

Dr. Shawn Faulkner: “The Three Invasions of Serbia in 1914”
2023-08-03 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“The Three Invasions of Serbia in 1914”
Dr. Shawn Faulkner
Thursday, August 3, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914, the Austro-Hungarian empire was set on a collision course with the Kingdom of Serbia that ultimately sparked the First World War. This lecture examines why the Austrians invasions of Serbia in 1914 failed to achieve the Hapsburg’s goal of crushing their Balkan enemy. It will also examine how and why a multi-national Central Powers attack decisively defeated Serbia the following year.
Dr. Richard S. Faulkner is a Professor of Military History and has taught at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College for 20 years. He served 23 years in the U.S. Army and commanded a tank company in the 1st Armored Division during Operation Desert Storm. He is the author of The School of Hard Knocks: Combat Leadership in the American Expeditionary Forces (Texas A&M Press, 2012), which was the recipient of the Society for Military History’s 2013 Distinguished Book Award. His second book, Pershing’s Crusaders: The American Soldier in World War I (University Press of Kansas, 2017) received the World War I Association’s 2017 Norman B. Tomlinson, Jr. Prize for the best work of history in English on World War One, the Organization of American Historians’ 2017 Richard W. Leopold Prize, and the Army Historical Foundation’s 2017 Excellence in U.S. Army History Book Award.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

September 11, 2001: The Day that Changed the World
2023-09-05 - 2023-09-17 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
On display from September 5-17, 2023 at the Dole Institute of Politics
The Dole Institute will have special hours on Monday, September 11, 2023. We will be open from 12 pm – 4 pm.
The Dole Institute of Politics will be displaying a special poster exhibit commemorating the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. “September 11: The Day that Changed the World” reviews the events of the day, highlights personal experiences, and invites reflections from all patrons. This exhibit was developed by the 9/11 Memorial Museum with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Guests can also view our permanent memorial in Hansen Hall, featuring original beams from World Trade Center Tower One. These beams were salvaged and presented to the Dole Institute by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in appreciation for Senator Dole’s work with former President Bill Clinton to develop the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, which helped fund the education for children of 9/11 victims.

Dr. Dirk Ringgenberg: “Operation Northern Delay: The US Airborne Invasion of Iraq from a First-Hand Perspective”
2023-09-07 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Operation Northern Delay: The US Airborne Invasion of Iraq from a First-Hand Perspective”
Dr. Dirk Ringgenberg
Thursday, September 7, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
On 26 March 2003, in the first weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom, USAF C17 Globemasters from 4 different Air Wings transported 1,000 paratroopers from the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade and conducted a night mass tactical combat parachute assault into Bashur Airfield, Iraq, as part of Operation Northern Delay. The operation forced the Iraqi Army to maintain approximately six divisions to protect its northern flank, providing strategic relief for Coalition Forces advancing on Baghdad from the South.
Mr. Dirk D. Ringgenberg is an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in the Department of Military History and a doctoral candidate at Iowa State University. Dirk is a highly decorated (Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor) retired Major with a distinguished military career spanning 24 years, predominately in Paratrooper and Ranger units. He participated in Operation Northern Delay as a Captain. Dirk and wife, Michelle live in Landing, Kansas with son, Hunter.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

Chaos on the Campaign Trail: Inside a Tumultuous Race for the White House
2023-09-13 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
A GOP frontrunner under the cloud of legal peril is trying to stave off a crowded primary field and maintain his hold over a divided party. An incumbent president faces questions about his age and an uncertain economy. As the Republican primary hits its stride, can anyone stop Donald Trump? And what does President Biden need to do to earn a second term? The race for the White House in 2024 promises to be an election unlike we’ve ever seen. Join us as we examine the state of the campaign with two prominent political journalists – Ali Vitali of NBC News and the Associated Press’s Seung Min Kim – in a conversation moderated by Brendan Buck, NBC News Political Analyst and former top aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan and John Boehner. These insiders will help pull back the curtain and examine the questions that will determine who controls the White House in 2025.
Brendan Buck is a Partner at Seven Letter, a Washington and Boston based public affairs agency, and he is an NBC News on-air Political Analyst. He spent twelve years on Capitol Hill, serving as a top aide to two consecutive Speakers of the House. Brendan was Counselor to House Speaker Paul Ryan, leading messaging and communications strategy for the speaker and House GOP. And earlier, Brendan was Press Secretary to House Speaker John Boehner. Brendan was also on the 2012 Romney-Ryan presidential campaign, serving as Press Secretary to the Vice President nominee. He’s held several other senior communications roles on Capitol Hill, including for now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy. In 2017, POLITICO named him to its inaugural Power 30 list, and in 2020, PR Week named him to its annual ’40 Under 40’.
Ali Vitali is a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News based in Washington, D.C. Vitali has reported on both President Biden and Vice President Harris throughout the 2020 campaign trail and through inauguration, cabinet appointments and confirmations. In February 2023, Vitali sat down with former President Mike Pence in an exclusive broadcast interview ahead of the 2024 presidential election and her continued coverage of the GOP field. As an NBC News “Road Warrior” in 2020, Vitali followed and reported on the campaigns of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Michael Bloomberg during the Democratic primary contests. She previously covered the Trump Administration as a White House Reporter for NBC News Digital and was a political campaign embed reporter on Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Seung Min Kim is a White House reporter for The Associated Press, specializing in the nexus of the Biden administration and Capitol Hill. Before joining the AP in July 2022, she had the same beat at The Washington Post, where she led the publication’s coverage on President Biden’s legislative agenda, Donald Trump’s relationships – and battles – with Congress, and three Supreme Court confirmation fights. She has also served as a political analyst for CNN since 2018. Seung Min’s first major reporting role in Washington was as a congressional reporter for Politico, where she spent more than eight years and primarily covered the Senate. She has also worked at USA Today; The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.; the St. Paul Pioneer Press; the St. Petersburg Times and The Des Moines Register. She is the current president of the Washington Press Club Foundation and a longtime member of the Asian American Journalists Association.
This program is presented in partnership with KU’s Debate Team and the Institute for Leadership Studies.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

CANCELED - No Trade is Free: A Conversation with Ambassador Robert Lighthizer
2023-09-21 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Due to unforeseen circumstances, “No Trade is Free: A Conversation with Ambassador Robert Lighthizer” has been canceled.
This includes any pre or post-program events planned. We apologize for any inconvenience. We hope to see you at the Dole Institute soon.
The Dole Institute will maintain its normal visiting hours this Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The 2023 Annual Constitution Day Program: Constitution Day at Kansas Memorial Stadium
2023-09-23 14:30 - 15:00 | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, 1101 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
This event will take place before the Kansas Jayhawks play against Brigham Young University at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. To watch the game, a valid ticket is required from KU Athletics.
During Family Weekend at the Kansas Memorial Stadium, KU fans are invited to recite the Preamble to the Constitution before the Jayhawks play against Brigham Young University. Chancellor Douglas Girod will lead the recitation while Elizabeth Berghout, carillonneur, rings the bells from the Campanile. Following the Preamble, the Marching Jayhawks will play the national anthem.
Learn more about our Constitution Day programming here!

The 2023 Annual Constitution Day Program: "Speech, Guns, and Federal Power"
2023-09-26 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has reshaped key aspects of American law, including First Amendment speech protections, firearms regulation under the Second Amendment, and the Executive Branch’s powers to implement laws. The Court appears poised to continue reshaping these fields in the coming term through a set of potentially transformative cases. In observation of Constitution Day, Associate Director Dr. Barbara Ballard will lead a panel of emerging leaders in the legal profession – each of whom are former Dole Institute SAB members – to discuss these changes and how they see the profession evolving in the coming years.
Adam Steinhilber is an attorney from Overland Park, Kansas who recently finished clerking for the Honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He previously clerked for the Honorable Mark S. Massa of the Indiana Supreme Court. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and chaired the Federalist Society’s 39th annual National Student Symposium. He earned his B.A. in Political Science with honors from the University of Kansas, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and proudly served as the Events Student Assistant at the Dole Institute of Politics. This fall, he will join the Kansas City office of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP as a litigation associate.
Emily Depew is a research attorney with the Kansas Court of Appeals. Emily hails from Neodesha, Kansas. She graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2023. At KU Law, Emily was a three-time moot court national champion and was presented with one of the best speakers awards two years in a row at the moot court national championship competition. She worked as the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board coordinator for two years as an undergraduate at KU. Emily has also worked as a legislative fellow at the Kansas Revisor of Statutes office, a legal intern at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and a legal intern for Kansas Representative Barbara Ballard.
Jesse Burbank hails from Quinter, Kansas, and grew up moving around the world in a military family. He earned his bachelor’s degree with highest distinction in history and political science from the University of Kansas in 2017. He was a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board, and he served as Dole Institute Director Bill Lacy’s research assistant during his senior year. Jesse earned his law degree with honors from Harvard Law School in 2020, where he was an editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. While in law school, he served as a summer legal intern in the United States Supreme Court Office of Legal Counsel. He worked in private practice after law school at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago before joining the U.S. Army JAG Corps in late 2022. He is now a Captain in the U.S. Army and serves as a Special Victims’ Counsel at Fort Riley, representing survivors of sexual assault and related offenses throughout the military justice process.
Learn more about the Dole Institute’s Constitution Day programs here!
The Dole Institute’s Constitution Day program is made possible by the support of longtime Friend of the Dole Institute, Mark P. Johnson.

Dr. John Hosler: “Bidding Syria Adieu: The Arab Invasions of 634-638”
2023-10-05 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Bidding Syria Adieu: The Arab Invasions of 634-638”
Dr. John Hosler
Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
Though little known to western audiences, the Arab invasions of 634-638 into Syria and the Levant were some of the most consequential in history. What began as small-scale raiding of frontier Byzantine garrisons soon transitioned to full-scale war, featuring a decisive victory of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Yarmuk in 636 and the capture of Jerusalem in 638. The surrender of the Holy City enabled Muslim control of the Temple Mount within it and the construction of two of the most famous sites for all of Islam: the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Following the conquest of Syria, their armies would go on to conquer Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, North Africa, and Iberia—by 711, over half of the old Roman Empire lived in the Abode of Islam.
John D. Hosler (PhD University of Delaware) is a Professor of Military History at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. An expert on medieval warfare in Europe and the Near East, he is the author or editor of seven books, including Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace (Yale UP, 2022), The Siege of Acre, 1189-1191 (Yale UP, 2018), and John of Salisbury: Military Authority of the Twelfth-Century Renaissance (Brill, 2012), as well as over 60 shorter publications. He is the past President of De Re Militari: the Society for Medieval Military History, a current Trustee of the United States Commission for Military History, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

Taylor Swift: A Conversation on Influence & Advocacy
2023-10-10 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Global superstar Taylor Swift is on top of the world with a massive and Fearless fanbase behind her. Join us for an Enchanted evening of merging music, politics, and activism as KU Professor Dr. Brian Donovan and Wichita State University Assistant Professor Dr. Hannah Wing discuss Swift’s journey into the world of politics and social activism as well as what politicians can learn from her uniquely powerful influence. Are you ready for it?
Wear your friendship bracelets and your Swiftie merch!

Important Information for Attending This Program
Due to an expected large turnout for this event, we are taking some additional steps.

Doors for this event will open at 6:15 p.m.
Members of the public are encouraged to arrive early to secure their seat

Should you not be admitted for this program, please be aware that it will be live streamed on our YouTube Channel starting at 7 p.m. CST. This program will also be available to stream afterward.

KU students may come early for a pizza party with Taylor Swift music and cookies starting at 6 p.m.
Dr. Brian Donovan is a professor in the KU Department of Sociology. Donovan’s research focuses on gender and American culture. His latest book, American Gold Digger, examines the “gold digger” stereotype in American culture. Donovan is currently interviewing Swifties for a book about the Taylor Swift fandom and is teaching a Taylor Swift-focused course called “The Sociology of Taylor Swift” this semester.
Dr. Hannah Wing is an Assistant Professor in the Elliott School of Communications at Wichita State University. Her research is centered on examining the relationships between media consumers and media personae, including how fans are influenced by the behavior of celebrities. She is currently researching the experiences Taylor Swift fans had while trying to obtain tickets to The Eras Tour.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU Swift Society.

10 Defining Moments in the History of the American First Lady 1900-2023
2023-10-19 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The history of the American First Lady has seen a number of defining moments, incidents or challenges that are distinctive and leave a clear impression of the presidential spouse. Included in this presentation are discussions of Eleanor Roosevelt and Marian Anderson (1936); Jacqueline Kennedy’s Tour of the White House (1962); Betty Ford and Breast Cancer (1974), Hillary Clinton’s decision to run for the U.S. Senate (1999) and Michelle Obama becoming the first African-American first lady (2008).
Myra G. Gutin is professor emerita of communication at Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ. For the past 40 years, her research has focused on American first ladies. She is the author of The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century and Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch. She has authored book chapters, articles, and op. eds. about first ladies and is currently at work on a biography of Betty Ford. A frequent media commentator, she is the president of FLARE, the First Ladies Association for Research and Education.
Diana B. Carlin is professor emerita of communication at Saint Louis University and a retired professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas where she taught a course on women in politics that included first ladies. She has authored book chapters on Martha Washington, Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama. She is the co-author of the first-ever textbook on first ladies, U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies, which was just released for publication. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link.
This program is presented in partnership with FLARE.

The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) was founded on June 21, 2021, through a collaboration with American University’s School of Public Affairs and its First Ladies Institute. Its mission to create and sustain a network of promote and publicize research and education relevant to the contributions, lives, impacts, and lasting legacies of U.S. first ladies.

A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation
2023-10-24 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Celinda Lake, a Democrat, and Ed Goeas, a Republican, have been crossing party lines for more than three decades to produce the Battleground Poll that takes a bipartisan look at America and its politics. Now they have co-authored a book that draws on what they have learned to describe how America has reached its current, deeply fractured political condition and, more importantly, how the country might move beyond it. These two leading political practitioners will be at the Dole Institute to discuss their work, including their central argument that the only way to escape the current polarization is through mutual respect.
Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.
Celinda Lake was one of two main pollsters for the Biden campaign, is the only Democratic pollster to play a major role in defeating two incumbent presidents, and is a prominent pollster and political strategist for progressives. Celinda currently serves as President of Lake Research Partners. Lake’s polling and strategic advice has helped candidates such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to groundbreaking wins. Lake co-authored the book What Women Really Want with Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway.
Ed Goeas was President and C.E.O. of The Tarrance Group for thirty-five years, one of the most respected and successful Republican survey research and strategy teams in American politics today. Widely recognized as one of the country’s leading political strategists, Goeas is an often-sought-after consultant and strategist. In Fall 2018, Ed served as a Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service focusing on “Civility in Politics.” In April Goeas was inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants “Hall of Fame.”

To purchase a copy of “A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation,” please click this link.
For those who purchase the book in advance, there will be an opportunity for Ed Goeas and Celinda Lake to sign the book after the program.

KUCCO Annual Trunk or Treat
2023-10-30 17:00 - 19:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join KU Center for Community Outreach in our annual Trunk or Treat! Located in the parking lot of the Dole Institute of Politics (2350 Petefish Dr., Lawrence KS, 66045) from 5-7pm on Monday, October 30th, we are open to families and kids of all ages! We will have games, activities, and candy! Come in your best costume for a scary good time!
The trunk or treat event occurs in the parking lot, but outdoors activities will be hosted on the lawn, and indoor activities available in the museum. Also, a special appearance by Dottie, the LPL outreach bookmobile!

Dr. John Kuehn: “Hideyoshi’s Invasion of Korea in the 1500s”
2023-11-02 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Hideyoshi’s Invasion of Korea in the 1500s”
Dr. John Kuehn
Thursday, November 2, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
The Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi had only recently unified Japan when he made the decision to invade Korea. Korea had served as a springboard of the attempted Mongol conquest of Japan in the 13th Century. Hideyoshi and his allies had never forgotten this danger. Hideyoshi was also inspired by the martial legend of the great Khan, and so inspired, partly for security, partly for glory, he invaded Korea in 1592 with a huge army of over 150,000 veteran troops. His ultimate goal was the conquest of China itself. This lecture will look at this invasion and its disastrous aftermath for the Koreans and, ultimately, the Japanese.
Dr. John T. Kuehn is Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). He retired from the U.S. Navy 2004 at the rank of commander after 23 years, serving as a naval flight officer (NFO) flying land and carrier-based aircraft. He has taught a variety of subjects, including military history, at CGSC since 2000. He authored Agents of Innovation (2008), A Military History of Japan: From the Age of the Samurai to the 21st Century (2014), Napoleonic Warfare: The Operational Art of the Great Campaigns (2015), and co-authored Eyewitness Pacific Theater (2008) with D.M. Giangreco as well as numerous articles and editorials and was awarded a Moncado Prize from the Society for Military History in 2011. His latest book from Naval Institute Press is America’s First General Staff: A Short History of the Rise and Fall of the General Board of the Navy, 1900-1950 (Fall 2017). During 2016-2017 Dr. Kuehn served on CNO Admiral John Richardson’s Fleet Design Advisory Panel assessing congressionally mandated architectures for the fleet of 2030.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

A Tribute to Veterans Gala
2023-11-05 18:00 - 20:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join us in celebrating our Veterans and their families on Sunday, November 5, 2023. The program will include a Salute to Veterans from the University of Kansas ROTC and music from the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra.
Reservations are required. Admission is free, however, space is limited. Please RSVP by Tuesday, October 23, 2023, by calling (785) 864-4900 or emailing doleinstitute@ku.edu.

Whirlwind: What to Expect for Digital Democracy in 2024
2023-11-09 10:00 - 11:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Featuring Katie Harbath, CEO of Anchor Change and Former Facebook Public Policy Director
Next year will be a rollercoaster with an unprecedented number of elections worldwide, the impact of new technologies such as AI, and the implementation of new regulations. Online platforms are facing their biggest test yet – and there are many new ones on the stage as well. In this talk, former Facebook head of elections Katie Harbath will break down what to expect.

Katie Harbath is a global leader at the intersection of elections, democracy, and technology. As the chief executive of Anchor Change, she helps clients think through tech policy issues. She is a senior advisor for technology and democracy at the International Republican Institute and is also a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Integrity Institute and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Previously, Katie spent 10 years at Facebook. As a director of public policy, she built and led global teams that managed elections and helped government and political figures use the social network to connect with their constituents.
Before Facebook, Katie held senior digital roles at the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the DCI Group, as well as multiple campaigns for office. She is a board member at the National Conference on Citizenship, Democracy Works, R Street and the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Madison-Wisconsin.
Katie writes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Anchor Change and hosts the podcast Impossible Tradeoffs. You can also follow her on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

This program is sponsored by AT&T and presented in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center.

KU Vets Day 5k
2023-11-12 09:00 - 12:00 | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, 1101 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is proud to be a Gold sponsor of the KU Vets Day 5k race, hosted by the KU Student Veterans of America and the Veterans Alumni Network.
The annual KU Vets Day 5K, hosted by the KU Student Veterans of America and the Veterans Alumni Network, honors our past/present veterans and raises awareness of the roles veterans play in our university and community. The 5K begins and ends at Memorial Stadium, traveling through the KU campus past KU’s war memorials. All proceeds from the Vets Day 5K support KU Student Veterans of America chapter, the KU Veterans Alumni Network and the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center.
To learn more about this race, please visit the official KU Vets Day 5k race website.

U.S. Policy Toward Ukraine: A Conversation with Ryan Guirlinger
2023-11-14 16:00 - 17:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
On Tuesday, November 14, the KU Center for Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Affairs, in partnership with the Dole Institute, will bring U.S. Department of State official Ryan Guirlinger to the Dole Institute for a conversation on the United States’ policy toward Ukraine as the war continues into a third year. Guirlinger, the State Department’s Chief of the Ukraine Political Unit, will discuss the current state of the U.S. policy toward Ukraine, how these policies are designed and implemented, and answer questions from the audience.
Unlike other programs, this program will not be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel, so make plans to attend this event in-person.
Ryan Guirlinger has served as the Ukraine Political Unit Chief since August 2022. In his distinguished career with the State Department he has previously served as Saudi Arabia Senior Desk Officer in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, deputy economic counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco, economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Algeria, consular officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, and consular and economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Honduras. In 2019, he was the recipient of the inaugural Hayden Brown Award for Outstanding Leadership in Energy Security and Access. He joined the Foreign Service in September 2008, and holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Maryland-College Park and a master’s degree from Syracuse University.
