Dole Institute announces fall season programming lineup

August 14, 2024 - News

Programming this fall will feature engaging, informative discussions with world-class practitioners and experts on the upcoming election and national politics, and much more.

LAWRENCE, KS – The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas announced today its Fall 2024 programming lineup, which features engaging, informative discussions featuring world-class practitioners and experts, including former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, retired senior U.S. diplomat Susan Thornton, Washington Post Associate Editor and Columnist Karen Tumulty, and Democratic and Republican former members of Congress.

“This historic election season provides many opportunities for rich discussions on ongoing shifts in political and campaign dynamics, the information landscape, and generational perspectives on leadership and policy at home and abroad,” said Audrey Coleman, Director of the Dole Institute. “This fall’s headlining guests, fellows, and partners will provide insights that address this complexity and move the political conversation forward.”

Elections and National Politics

Bestselling author and journalist Sasha Issenberg will visit the Institute on September 4, at 7 p.m. for a discussion on his new book, The Lie Detectives: In Search for a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age. Issenberg’s book presents a snapshot of politicians attempting to come to terms with a volatile social media landscape while running for political office. The University’s Honors Program and the Lawrence Public Library will partner with the Institute for this program.

KU alumnus and Lead Political Reporter of the Kansas City Star Jonathan Shorman will serve as a Fall 2024 Dole Fellow. Shorman covers politics and government in both Kansas and Missouri. He previously reported from the Kansas Statehouse for the Star and Wichita Eagle. His series, “Election 24,” will focus on upcoming elections in Kansas and throughout the nation. Shorman’s series will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, October 9, and October 23. Session topics and panelists are forthcoming.

Additionally, the Institute will partner with the Association of the Former Members of Congress to host two Dole Fellows this season. The Fellows, a Democrat and Republican who are former members of Congress, will moderate collegial discussions in their series, “Congress in the 21^st Century,” which will be related to their congressional service, bipartisanship, and topics at the top of students’ minds. The Fellows, whose series will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18, October 30, and November 13, will be named in the coming weeks.

Former Washington Executive Editor of the Wall Street Journal and Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib will moderate two programs at the Institute this season. On October 3, at 7 p.m., former Senator from Nebraska and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will join Seib for “The Candidates and America’s Role in the World,” where the two will discuss where the presidential candidates stand on the issues that impact our standing on the world stage. Then on October 17, at 7 p.m., Karen Tumulty, Associate Editor and Columnist at The Washington Post, will join Seib for “The Growing Divide: Political Realignment in the Modern Era,” where the pair will provide an overview of the presidential campaign and how it’s reshaping the nation’s political landscape for years to come.

Finally, save the date for the Institute’s biennial Post Election Conference, which will be held at the Dole Institute in November and December. The conference, held after general and midterm elections, brings journalists, practitioners, and experts together to analyze campaigns and election results in Kansas and throughout the country. Dole Fellow Jonathan Shorman will moderate a panel on the Kansas elections on November 20. Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib and Dole Institute Director Emeritus Bill Lacy will co-moderate panels on national elections on December 11.

Featured Partnerships

The Ft. Leavenworth Series, which is presented in partnership with the Command and General Staff College’s Department of Military History at Ft. Leavenworth, will continue this season with presentations highlighting “World Leaders in Wartime,” including Winston Churchill, Augustus the Strong, Abraham Lincoln, and Vladimir Putin. The series provides free historical lectures to the public facilitated by world-class military history professors. This year’s series explores influential wartime leaders from medieval times to the present, detailing their achievements on and off the battlefield. Lectures are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m.

On October 10, at 7 p.m., the Dole Institute, in partnership with the University’s Department of Political Science and their partners at the United States Heartland China Association, will host “China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach.” Jack Zhang, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at KU, will moderate the program. Zhang will be joined by Susan Thornton, a retired senior U.S. diplomat with decades of experience in Eurasia and East Asia, and Kyle Jaros, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame.

Finally, the Dole Institute will partner with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to host a program on October 29, at 10 a.m. on structural democracy featuring policy experts from the BPC. The program will highlight the mechanisms by which American governmental institutions might be more efficient in meeting the needs of its citizens.

Signature Programming

Attorneys and Dole Institute Visiting Fellows Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray will return to the Institute for the popular program, The Counselors, on November 14, at 6 p.m. The program, which is a cross between a mock trial and a debate, will feature Duckers and Irigonegaray debating whether the military draft should be reinstated in the United States with the assistance of expert witnesses.

On Sunday, November 10, the Institute will hold the Tribute to Veterans Gala. The annual event celebrates our nation’s veterans and their families with an evening of dancing and live music presented by the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra, and a “Salute to Veterans” from students in the University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs. While free and open to the public, reservations are required to attend.

Finally, the Institute’s Dole Leadership Prize will be presented on October 24, at 7 p.m. The award is presented to an individual or group who demonstrates the importance of involvement in political and civic affairs. Additionally, the award carries a $25,000 prize to be directed to a non-profit organization of the recipient’s choice. This year’s honoree will be announced later this season.

Ongoing Special Exhibits

These programs join the Dole Institute’s additional offerings this season, including multiple special exhibits on display through the end of the year. “ERA in the Heartland: Ratification and Reconsideration, 1973-1980,” a student-driven exhibit, explores the efforts to ratify and rescind the Equal Rights Amendment in Kansas utilizing archival materials from the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections. Additionally, through the Bolstering Elections Initiative with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, the Institute is displaying “Election Administrators/Election Designers.” The exhibit, originally from the Hasso Platner Institute of Design at Stanford, chronicles the processes election administrators throughout the country undertake every election cycle to efficiently and securely administer an election. Both exhibits can be viewed while visiting the Institute’s Museum & Galleries, which are open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Detailed information on all of this season’s programs, special events, and exhibits—including updates on named fellows and panelists—can be found at doleinstitute.org. All programs will take place in person at the Dole Institute and will be available to watch live on the Institute’s website and YouTube channel.

About the Dole Institute
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, a vibrant forum for civil discourse, civic engagement, and idea exchange across the political spectrum, features historical archives, exhibits, and public programs for all ages. Inspired by the public service of native Kansan, veteran, legislator, and statesman Senator Bob Dole and his wife Senator Elizabeth Dole, visitor galleries feature changing exhibits, the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall, architectural-scale stained glass American flag, and September 11 memorial.

For More Information:
Jackson DeAndrea, Dole Institute of Politics
jackson.deandrea@ku.edu
(785) 864-4900