Dole Institute

The Class of '74: Congress after Watergate
2018-04-04 00:00 (America/Chicago)
In November 1974, following the historic Watergate scandal, Americans voiced their displeasure with the GOP by electing a wave of 76 Democratic freshmen to the U.S. House of Representatives. Commonly referred to as “Watergate Babies,” some characterized them as idealistic and naïve, while others point to their work championing unprecedented reforms in Washington. Author John Lawrence joins KU Professor Burdett Loomis for a conversation on the complex politics that emerged in the wake of Watergate. This program includes a book sale and signing.

The Loneliness of the Black Republican
2018-03-29 00:00
Harvard Kennedy School professor Leah Rigueur lays out a new understanding of the interaction between African-Americans and the Republican Party, exploring the seemingly incongruous intersection of civil rights and American conservatism. Her book, “The Loneliness of the Black Republican,” delves into four decades of history from the New Deal to Reagan’s ascent in 1980.
This program is hosted in partnership with the KU Department of African & African-American Studies and includes a book sale and signing.

Responses To WWI: Stadiums, Quarintines, Altruism and Resistance
2018-03-08 00:00
Explore the many ways in which the Great War changed the world, from prisoner of war camps in Switzerland, to resistance movements in Belgium, memorial stadiums in the U.S. and a quarantine law in Kansas. A panel of KU faculty, staff and students will share research they conducted for doctoral dissertations and senior honors theses, as well as discuss a First-Year Seminar taught each year of the centenary.
This program is hosted in partnership with the KU WWI Commemoration Committee.

Leadership and Globalization in Sports: Bob Kendrick
2018-03-06 00:00
The president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick arrives to discuss the museum, a Kansas City institution. The NLBM is dedicated to preserving the rich history of African-American baseball in the U.S. Kendrick will share insight into the museum, the storied history of Negro League baseball and his close friendship with Kansas City and Major League Baseball legend Buck O’Neil.

The German Homefront Experience, 1939-1945
2018-03-01 00:00
Emphasizing multiple perspectives from disparate groups, Mark Hull will focus on the lives of everyday Germans during World War II. What they ate, what they saw in their local public spaces, what they read and their understanding and response to the war’s events changed dramatically as the war took an ever-greater personal toll. This talk will describe the increasingly desperate steps taken by the National Socialist state to maintain civil order and morale in the face of looming catastrophe.

2018 | 1 to 44: The Best and the Worst of American Presidents
2018-02-25 00:00 - 2018-03-14 00:00
Presidential historian and former Dole Institute director Richard Norton Smith returns for a deep dive into presidential rankings and what they can teach us. Smith will guide the audience through an examination of the executive office from the exalted to the ignoble, with his participation in the annual C-SPAN Presidential Historians Survey serving as a backdrop. How do time and history shape our viewpoints of a president’s success or failure? A ranking is only the beginning of the story.

Ranking the Presidents
2/25/2018

Time, history and context can transform our perception of a president’s leadership — both for better and for worse. After all, presidential ratings are hardly etched in stone. Smith introduces the series by examining the multiple factors that cause ratings to fluctuate like the Kansas weather in April.

Learning from Success
2/27/2018

Take a look at the faces carved on Mount Rushmore, often considered giants of the American presidency. What can we learn from these, and other, successful chief executives? Smith draws upon various examples, dissecting each for their enduring lessons and relevant qualities.

Learning from Failure
3/12/2018

There is much to be learned about the presidency from both success and failure. Smith selects from a handful of less-than-stellar presidents, from James Buchanan and Franklin Pierce to Warren G. Harding and beyond, exploring what we might learn from their time in office.

Ranking the Modern Presidents, Kennedy to Obama
3/14/2018

Using the lessons learned from the first three installments of the series, Smith will guide the audience through the highs and lows of the last 10 presidencies. Spanning over 55 years of tumultuous history, these leaders presided over critical events that continue to affect our nation today.

2018 SPRING | Rise of the Independents: Candidates and Reform in 2018 and Beyond
2018-02-21 00:00 - 2018-05-02 00:00
Dole Fellow Jim Jonas
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In a partisan political environment, independent or unaffiliated voters now represent the largest voting bloc in many U.S. states. Can independent and third party candidacies seize upon this shift in party identification? How could they shape the future of U.S. politics? Dole Fellow Jim Jonas leads a discussion group series examining election reform and independent candidates in Kansas and the nation.

Hyperpartisanship: How did we get here, and how to we fix it?
February 21, 2018

Political parties can seem more concerned with partisan advantage than finding common-ground solutions to the nation’s problems. Jim Jonas is joined by guest Matthew Dowd, a best-selling author, cultural commentator and chief political analyst for ABC News. Dowd owns experience working on both sides of the aisle, including time as chief strategist for President George W. Bush. The pair will examine ways to break the U.S. system out of its rut and encourage political competition and solutions to policy challenges.

The Shifting Electorate
March 7, 2018

The American political parties and the makeup of the electorate are experiencing enormous changes. What effects will the rapidly changing political landscape mean for Kansas and the country in 2018 and beyond? For this discussion, Jim Jonas welcomes Patrick Caddell, a political strategist, consultant and FOX News contributor. Caddell has advised over 150 presidential campaigns, including George McGovern, Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Joe Biden, Edward Kennedy and more.

Third Parties and Independent Movements in Kansas
March 14, 2018

What are the prospects for independent and third party efforts underway in Kansas in 2018 and beyond? How can voters who do not feel an affinity for either major party participate in Kansas elections and have an equal voice? Lawrencian Scott Morgan explores these ideas alongside Jonas, drawing on Morgan’s background in local, state and national politics. Morgan served as counsel in various positions for Sen. Bob Dole, culminating in a position as chief counsel for Dole’s 1988 presidential campaign. He is currently the chair of a grassroots group focused on starting a new Party of the Center in the state of Kansas.

Challenging the Duopoly
April 4, 2018

This discussion examines the legal, infrastructural, communication and electoral disadvantages for independents and third parties, and what is happening in the reform space to challenge those barriers. Jonas welcomes Chad Peace, who holds extensive experience in election law and voter rights. Peace is a legal strategist for the Independent Voter Project, a founding board member of the National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers, and founder and president of IVC Media LLC.

Hacking the System: Examining Unite America’s Plan
April 11, 2018
Unite America aims to strategically elect independent candidates to office who can break through the political gridlock and serve as a voice for all those in the center –– not as a traditional third party, but as America’s first “Unparty.” Their “fulcrum strategy” focuses on electing a sufficient number of candidates to closely divided legislatures where, as a swing coalition, independents can deny both parties an outright majority and use their disproportionate influence to forge common-ground solutions. Jonas is joined by Nick Troiano, who has spent the last decade leading political reform campaigns and is on staff at the Centrist Project. Most recently, Nick helped launch Change.org’s new elections platform as the company’s senior politics manager.

Kyle Bailey
April 18, 2018

Jonas welcomes Kyle Bailey for his penultimate discussion group installment of the semester. Bailey owns over a decade of experience managing and fundraising for independent candidate campaigns, referenda campaigns, and advocacy organizations. In 2016, he managed the statewide referendum campaign that won Ranked Choice Voting in Maine. This year, Bailey is leading a people’s veto campaign on the June 2018 ballot to restore ranked choice voting in Maine after it was repealed by Maine Legislature last year.

Jackie Salit
May 2, 2018

Jonas caps discussion groups with a visit from Jackie Salit, president of IndependentVoting.org, one of the nation’s leading organizing centers for independent voters. In addition to support for specific candidates, Salit and IV have supported ballot initiatives for nonpartisan primaries as well as legal and political defense of open primaries. Her political commentaries have appeared in a wide variety of publications, and she has been a commentator on CNN, MSNBC, PBS, FOX and other outlets.

America and the Armenian Genocide
2018-02-15 00:00
Starting in 1915, the Ottoman Empire killed up to 1.5 million Armenians and evicted hundreds of thousands of others from their homes in an act of genocide that would later inspire Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust in Europe. The Dole Archives Archival Fellow for Armenian Advocacy, author and journalist Michael Bobelian leads an examination of the U.S. 20th-century response to the “forgotten genocide” and highlights Sen. Bob Dole’s leadership as an advocate for Armenia and Armenian-Americans.

Keeping the Ogre at Bay: Defending Britain, 1803-1815
2018-02-01 00:00
The United Kingdom’s response to the French threat came at a time of great social and political change at home. From frantic invasion scares in 1803-1805 to political indecision, economic upheaval and civil unrest, British reaction to the threat of the Napoleonic Empire ultimately led to Britain’s impressive dominance in the 19th century. Led by Mark Gerges, this discussion examines how military events influenced the shape of modern Europe.

Tom Harkin, U.S. Senator
2017-10-29 00:00
The Dole Institute is proud to honor U.S. Senator Tom Harkin with the 2017 Dole Leadership Prize. Harkin represented Iowa in the U.S. Congress for more than four decades, including 30 years as a U.S. Senator. As a young senator, Harkin crafted the landmark legislation that would become the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). His long career focused on issues related to healthcare access and nutrition, farm policy, labor issues and more.

Fighting Hunger in a Changing World with Catherine Bertini
2017-10-04 00:00
Catherine Bertini’s career has placed her squarely on the front lines of the fight to end world hunger, including time at the United Nations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more. The 2003 World Food Prize Laureate, Bertini transformed the UN’s World Food Programme into the world’s largest and most responsive humanitarian food organization. Her work on humanitarian aid, girls’ education and food insecurity will serve as the backdrop to this conversation on combating hunger in a changing world.
This program is cosponsored by Kansas Appleseed and the KU Center for Sustainability.

Food: The Ultimate Weapon for Democracy
2017-09-28 00:00
In 1946, starvation abounded in the world. World War II had led to hunger, and now coupled with world drought was causing massive starvation. Guns had started and won the war, yet peace would be written by bread. Don Loeslie shares the story of how food became a primary weapon for peace in the postwar recovery effort, including programs led by President Harry Truman and U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall.

Vietnam: Three Who Served
2017-09-21 00:00
Matt Keenan shares the unique stories of three local Vietnam combat veterans: John Gerstle, U.S. Army, John Solbach, U.S. Marine Corps, and Norm Fretwell, Army Ranger and paratrooper, and graduate from the 1966 West Point class described by Rick Atkinson in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Long Gray Line.” Common threads will emerge as Keenan and his guests examine the ways in which the war changed them and their country.

2017 CONSTITUTION DAY | Religious Rights or Unlawful Discrimination?
2017-09-19 00:00
Two experts in religious freedom law and anti-discrimination law will join the Dole Institute to discuss the difficult issues that arise when the assertion of religious beliefs conflicts with the rights of others. Does the constitutionally protected free exercise of religion trump state anti-discrimination laws that prohibit denying services based on a customer’s sexual orientation? Robin Fretwell Wilson, professor of law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Camilla Taylor, senior counsel for Lambda Legal, explore this topic in a conversation moderated by Stephen McAllister, KU distinguished professor of law.
This event is the 2017 Constitution Day program, part of KU Civic Engagement and Leadership.

Not Pretty Enough: The Unlikely Triumph of Helen Gurley Brown
2017-09-13 00:00
Author Gerri Hirshey, Rolling Stone’s first female contributing editor, will join the Dole Institute to shine new light on the complex life of Helen Gurley Brown. One of the most incomparable women of the 20th century, Gurley Brown served as editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan for over 30 years and penned the famous book, “Sex and the Single Girl.” Hirshey’s biography of Gurley Brown, “Not Pretty Enough,” is a rich story that ties in 90 years of women’s history with the life of a fascinating subject. This program includes a book sale and signing.

2017 FALL | The Elusive Quest for the Lacrosse Mom: How do Politicians, Corporations, Organizations and the Community Engage Women?
2017-09-12 00:00 - 2017-11-28 00:00
Dole Fellow Cherylyn Harley LeBon
An experienced campaign advisor, D.C. insider and media contributor, fall fellow Cherylyn Harley LeBon will lead a discussion group series examining how various organizations, corporations and political entities attempt to engage with women, and why they can be a difficult constituency to reach.

Sarah Bruno
9/12/2017

“Guest: Sarah Bruno, Executive Director of the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN)
This discussion will focus on how to engage young women and provide them with the tools they need to become future leaders.”

Katie Pinke
9/19/2017

“Guest: Katie Pinke, publisher and general manager, Agweek
This discussion will focus on women from the heartland engaging with their communities. Katie Pinke is a columnist, small business owner and mother from North Dakota.”

Patrick Jephson and Mary Jo Jacobi
9/26/2017

This discussion will examine corporate engagement and reputation management from the pros. Jephson is the former Social Secretary and Spokesman for Princess Diana, while Jacobi boasts a long career in energy, finance and government, including time in President George H.W. Bush’s administration.

Andrea Bottner
10/10/2017

Andrea Bottner is founder of Bottner Strategies, LLC, is an expert in women’s issues and has earned the respect and admiration of some of Washington’s most influential policy makers. Prior to creating Bottner Strategies, Bottner served at the U.S. Department of State as Director for the Office of International Women’s Issues. Prior to her work at the State Department, Bottner served at the U.S. Department of Justice as Principal Deputy Director and later, as Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women. Additionally, Bottner served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Republican National Committee Co-Chairman Ann Wagner, specializing in the Committee’s national women’s outreach expansion strategy.

Ashley Davis
10/24/2017

This conversation will examine ways to engage more women at the national, state and local level of politics. Ashley Davis is a former member of the President George W. Bush administration and a noted political strategist and lobbyist.

Sandra Sobieraj Westfall
11/14/2017
Sandra Sobieraj Westfall is the national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief for PEOPLE Magazine. She joins the Dole Institute for a discussion on her career as a journalist for PEOPLE and the Associated Press, covering national politics and engaging with women voters.

Alan West
11/28/2017

Allen West, political commentator, retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel and former U.S. Congressman (R) representing Florida’s 22nd District
This conversation will focus on the future of constitutional conservatism in the U.S.

Climbing Kilimanjaro
2017-07-27 00:00
Standing as the highest point on the African continent at 19,341 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is considered a fairly accessible mountain summit, involving an arduous trek at high altitudes with no technical climbing. Mountain guide and trekker Ian Taylor will return to the Dole Institute to share the challenge and beauty of climbing one of the seven summits of the world.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETER | David Shuey on John J. Pershing
2017-07-12 00:00
Explore the life and times of General John J. Pershing, a Missouri native and commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. Join the Institute to commemorate 100 years since the U.S. entry into the war and examine one of our nation’s most decorated military leaders, portrayed here by historical interpreter David Shuey.

World War II: Home Front to Battlefront
2017-06-14 00:00
Frank Lavin shares the tale of a World War II foot soldier who finds himself thrust into a world where he and his unit grapple with the horrors of combat, the idiocies of bureaucracy, and the oddities of life back home—all in the same day. Lavin’s book “Home Front to Battlefront” follows his father Carl Lavin, an Ohio native who enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18, taking him from training across the U.S. and Britain to combat with the 84th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge. This program includes a book sale and signing.

2017 SUMMER | Beyond the Border: U.S.-Mexico Relations
2017-05-24 00:00 - 2017-07-11 00:00
Dole Fellow Christina Luhn
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For many, the U.S.-Mexico border presents a problem, for others, an economic opportunity. An expert in cross-border economic development, Christina Luhn will lead a summer discussion group series exploring the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico with a focus on border security, immigration and trade.

The Value of Bi-National Collaboration
5/24/2017

Because the international border falls under federal jurisdiction, decisions are made far from the border in the respective capitals of Washington, D.C. and Mexico City. Yet these decisions not only impact the borderlands but also the rest of America, including Kansas and other midwestern states. In this discussion, Alfonso Navarro-Bernachi, Mexican Consul General in Kansas City, brings a unique perspective to understanding the value of bi-national collaboration. A distinguished member of Mexico’s Foreign Service, Navarro-Bernachi has served in consulates in several border states including California and Arizona and will share his insights on collaboration from firsthand experience.

Trade and the Border: the Value of NAFTA
5/31/2017

Recent political and economic rhetoric has focused on how globalization and NAFTA have cost many Americans their jobs. What is often missing in these emotionally charged narratives are the many jobs that are created and supported by trade. With Mexico recently becoming the largest export market for Kansas, a repeal of NAFTA could have catastrophic consequences for Kansas economy. In this discussion, Christopher Wilson, Deputy Director of the Mexico Institute at The Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., brings a researcher’s perspective to help sort through trade myth from reality and discuss possible policy solutions to address some of the more glaring issues associated with trade.

Life along the Border: A Separate Reality?
6/21/2017

While there are many positive economic opportunities for bi-national collaboration, this is not the reality for many who struggle with border conditions. This discussion with Andy Carey, executive director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, will provide a deeper understanding of this reality and how some of these complex problems are being addressed. Carey brings a breadth of experience in his years working the entire U.S.-Mexico border to grow community philanthropy, leadership and cross-border collaboration in order to increase the human and financial capital needed to address the complex issues facing the region.

Borderlands: Why should Kansans and Midwesterners care about the Border?
6/28/2017

This session is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the U.S.-Mexico border and key issues, with special emphasis on historical context. In this discussion, Raul Rodriguez, Chairman of the Board of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation in New York City and former President of the North American Development Bank, brings his long and distinguished career of working on important bi-national issues to help explain how we got here today and what is special about the U.S.-Mexico border.

Security, Immigration, Trade and the Border
7/11/2017

This session will provide deeper understanding of key issues around border security, trade and immigration. Is the proposed wall realistic and would it achieve what its proponents suggest? Are security, immigration and trade mutually exclusive or can we have all three? In this discussion, Alan Bersin, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, brings his vast federal experience to a discussion about the intersection of security, immigration and trade. Having served in the Obama and the Clinton Administrations, Bersin has learned a great deal about what works, what doesn’t and what might be on the horizon.

2017 | Inaugural Lecture
2017-04-30 00:00
Join the Dole Institute for the inaugural lecture in a special new signature series, the Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture, delivered by former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole. Dole will discuss her long career in public service, including her years as commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Secretary of Labor, president of the American Red Cross and a U.S. senator representing the state of North Carolina.

Robert Kaplan
2017-04-05 00:00
Explore the complex world of U.S. monetary policy and the central banking system in the 2017 Dole Lecture with Robert Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Only the second KU alum to deliver the Dole Lecture, Kaplan will discuss his career as leader of one of the 12 banks in the Federal Reserve System and the role of the Federal Reserve in the U.S. economy.

Ronald Reagan’s 1968 Dress Rehearsal
2017-04-04 00:00
Author Gene Kopelson shares the story of Ronald Reagan’s first quest for the presidency in the late 1960s. Mentored by Dwight D. Eisenhower and opposed politically by Robert Kennedy, Reagan’s first major foray into presidential politics set the tone for his future candidacies—and eventual victory. This program will include a book sale and signing.

The Other Side: A Liberal Democrat Explores Conservative America
2017-03-30 00:00
Documentary filmmaker Joe McGovern started with a question: is the source of our political anger with others caused, in part, by a lack of understanding? The result is his film “The Other Side,” documenting his travels across the U.S. and candid interviews with conservative Americans.

INNOVATION SERIES | Finances of Innovation
2017-03-08 00:00
In the 21st century, government financing plays an ever-increasing role in scientific innovation. Hosted in partnership with the KU School of Engineering, join a fascinating discussion on federal research and development funding with Kei Koizumi, former Assistant Director for Federal Research and Development at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

2017 SPRING | President Trump: The First 100 Days
2017-03-01 00:00 - 2017-05-03 00:00
Dole Fellows Henry “C.J.” Jackson and Johanna Maska
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Fresh off a dramatic election season, KU alums Henry “C.J.” Jackson and Johanna Maska will examine and interpret the first 100 days of the Trump administration as they happen. Jackson and Maska will welcome a who’s-who of Washington insiders and reporters to explore a complex season in U.S. politics.

A Nation in Transition
3/1/2017

White House and presidential campaign veteran Johanna Maska and veteran political journalist C.J. Jackson will focus on presidential transitions and explore what’s unique about the new Trump White House. The pair will examine how Washington D.C. changes with a new administration, how new presidents build relationships (or don’t), and how they adjust to the trappings of their office. Both KU alums, Maska and Jackson will also discuss their careers and personal transitions as they moved to Washington D.C. in 2009, sharing experiences while balancing professional obligations—and sometimes national security guidance.

The New “Race”
3/15/2017

Former Deputy Social Secretary and State Department official Samantha Tubman traveled at President Barack Obama’s side throughout the 2008 campaign, working on his presidential transition before taking on key roles in the White House and State Department. She joins Dole Fellow C.J. Jackson to discuss the rapid transformation from a campaign to governing. Jackson and Tubman will explore the new “race” to enact policy, the challenges of a presidential transition, and Tubman’s path as a young person engaging with politics to the White House and beyond.

Entering the White House
3/29/2017

With guest Greg Jenkins – Founder, North Bay Strategies; Deputy Assistant to George W. Bush
Two former White House aides—one from each major party—break down what a presidential transition looks like from the inside. As a former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, Greg Jenkins traveled the world helping to craft and hone a president’s message. Dole fellow Johanna Maska, who held a similar role for President Obama, will lead a discussion on the demands of working in the White House as the beginning of a new administration.

Meet the Press
4/5/2017

NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley, Republican communications strategist Tim Miller and Dole fellow Johanna Maska will look at the relationship between politics, government and the press. They will focus on what’s unique in Trump’s emerging relationship with the press and what challenges any administration’s press corps would face. This discussion will focus on the important role of the media, the obligations of those in political communications and how history is made and recorded.

Inside the Situation Room and the Importance of Presidential Language
4/19/2017

Former White House deputy director of speechwriting and lead National Security Council speechwriter Terry Szuplat joins Dole fellow C.J. Jackson to talk about how presidents form a national security message. Szuplat will discuss what it is like to be in the Situation Room in a crisis and how presidents craft their messages for an international audience. Szuplat will also analyze the Trump administration’s approach to international relations and talk about the issues that have already emerged.

At Home and Abroad: the Global Presidency
4/26/2017

Former National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden joins Dole fellow C.J. Jackson to discuss how presidents manage an international audience. Hayden, who has worked across national security positions in government, will examine how the Trump administration approaches diplomacy, how the presidential transition affects international relationships and more.

The Loyal Opposition
5/3/2017

The final discussion group of the semester will focus on the party out of power, looking at how the minority party has reacted to big political changes. What tactics do minority parties use to stay relevant, or effect change? How do they develop their relationships with a new president–or how don’t they? How do new presidents work with (or not work with) the opposition party? Former Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement for Hillary Clinton and KU graduate Marlon Marshall joins Dole fellows C.J. Jackson and Johanna Maska to talk about how the “out” party adjusts to a new president and what they do to stay relevant.

2017 | The U.S. and the Great War: 100 Years Later
2017-02-02 00:00 - 2017-02-23 00:00
On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked a joint session of Congress to make the world “safe for democracy.” Four days later, the United States entered World War I, one of the deadliest wars in American history. The 2017 Presidential Lecture Series will welcome expert guest lecturers to dive inside U.S. involvement in the Great War and the ways in which the war effort touched all levels of society.

America’s Road to War
2/2/2017

When war broke out in Europe in 1914, the U.S. stood on the sidelines as President Wilson asked his fellow citizens to remain neutral “in thought as well as in deed.” Michael Neiberg, noted scholar and chair of war studies in the U.S. Army War College, introduces our lecture series, exploring the complex paths of politics, economics and cultural divisions that came together and brought America into the war less than three years later.

A Giant with Feet of Clay: The American Military in the Great War
2/9/2017

The story of how the U.S. Army sought to transform itself over the course of 18 months into a comparable or superior military force to the European armies is grounded in irony. Richard Faulkner, professor with the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, lays out how the American Expeditionary Forces played a pivotal role in the brutal campaigns that led to Germany’s defeat on the battlefield.

Americans All: The Homefront in World War I
2/16/2017

In America, World War I brought expanded involvement in global politics, the experience of modern warfare—and equally important domestic changes. Noted scholar from Chapman College Jennifer Keene will discuss the responses of Americans to the introduction of the draft, economic mobilization, the patriotism crusade and its effects and much more.

Boldness and Frailty: Woodrow Wilson’s Fight for the League of Nations
2/23/2017

Acclaimed biographer of Woodrow Wilson and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, John Milton Cooper closes the series by painting a portrait of Wilson and his transformative leadership. Wilson guided the nation through World War I and sought to bring about an international system to ensure lasting peace. He arguably established a new way of thinking about international relations that, 25 years later, ushered in the United Nations.

Nancy Kassebaum, U.S. Senator
2016-09-17 00:00
Longtime Senate colleagues and friends Bob Dole and Nancy Kassebaum take the stage at the Dole Institute to discuss Congress when they served, the state of Congress today and contemporary politics.

Martin Frost and Tom Davis
2016-04-17 00:00
In a high-stakes election year with deep divisions along party lines, bipartisanship often feels like a thing of the past. Former Congressmen Tom Davis (R) and Martin Frost (D) joined us at the Institute to discuss why gridlock is more prominent than ever—and how it can be stopped.
With 40 years of combined service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Davis and Frost are the authors of Partisan Divide: Congress in Crisis.

2016 | They Also Ran: America’s Would-Be Presidents
2016-01-31 00:00 - 2016-04-26 00:00
In the 2016 Presidential Lecture Series, noted presidential historian and former Dole Institute director Richard Norton Smith returns this spring to examine the politicians who were nominated to America’s highest office but never elected. Covering their careers and the reasons behind their losses, this timely four-part series will shed light on the impact of presidential elections on U.S. politics.

Part One: The 19th Century
1/31/2016

In the 1800s, three men ran for President of the United States a combined nine times, but never claimed the prize. Though Henry Clay, James G. Blaine and William Jennings Bryan’s presidential candidacies failed, their historical contributions and careers inspired millions.

Part Two: Governors of New York
2/1/2016

The beginning of the 20th century saw the rise of New York’s influence on United States politics, along with the start of America’s love/hate relationship with the Empire State. Three New York governors in Charles Evans Hughes, Thomas E. Dewey and Al Smith became key leaders across the political spectrum.

Part Three: Influence in Defeat
4/25/2016

Adlai Stevenson and Barry Goldwater were polar opposites in many ways. One was from the left and the other the right, but both possessed devoted followers and had profound influence on their party’s development in the mid-20th century.

Part Four: The Contemporary Midwesterners
4/26/2016

Smith wraps up the series by bringing us to modern times with Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern and Robert Dole, three native Midwesterners who had a historical impact that far exceeded their electoral vote.
