Joint Book Launch with Professor Ryan Balot and Professor Emeritus Ronald Beiner

Hear from Ryan K. Balot and Ronald Beiner as they explore questions in political philosophy—from Plato’s Laws to the legacy of Moses in modern political thought.

Tragedy, Philosophy, and Political Education in Plato's Laws, by Ryan Balot 

What are the prospects for ambitious political reform in communities of traditional, passionate and even self-righteous citizens? Can thoughtful legislators create a healthy society for citizens whose judgment is typically unsound? This book addresses these and other questions by offering a novel interpretation of Plato’s last and longest dialogue the Laws.

Moses and Political Philosophy by Ronnie Beiner 

Representations of the figure of Moses are both central and pervasive in the history of western political thought. The story of Moses, as depicted in the books of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible, has generated an immensely powerful set of images that have left a lasting mark on both western and global culture. Moses and Political Philosophy explores the enduring tropes drawn from this narrative, which continue to shape political discourse up to the present. The book examines why these interpretations retain such a lasting relevance in contemporary debates and explores how an appreciation of them can enrich our engagement with the centuries long dialogue that has shaped the tradition of western political theory.

Moderated by Janice Stein.