Our Forthcoming Publications

Please feel free to submit proposals about any topic, but note that preference would be given to those works that address the themes below. As proposals arrive and are accepted, this page will be updated as needed. Email us with your proposal to Lee Trepanier at [email protected] and please check out submission guidelines.

2018

September, 2018: Literature

This month we look at both classical and contemporary literature, politics, and film.

October & November, 2018: Philosophy

This month we investigate numerous topics in philosophy.

December, 2018: Religion

We conclude the calendar year with a look at religion and its role in our lives.

2019

January, 2019: Philosophy

January is dedicated to philosophical thought from antiquity to today and open to all schools of thought and approaches.

February, 2019: Asia

February explores the philosophy, religion, literature, culture, economics, and politics of Asia. What is “Asia” and its relationship with other civilizations? What is the history of Asia and what can we learn from it to understand its increasing role on the world stage today? Why does Asia have a different understanding of history, religion, philosophy, and politics from the West?

March, 2019: Eric Voegelin and Other Thinkers

March examines the life, ideas, and work of Eric Voegelin with attention to his relationship with other thinkers from antiquity to today. What are the points of agreement and divergence between Voegelin and these thinkers? What problems did they believe were important and what were their solutions? How do their thought complement one another?

April, 2019: The Public

April looks at the role of the public in our lives: the public intellectual, public (and popular) culture, and public institutions and organizations. Possible lines of inquiry could be the role of the public and its relationship to free-market ideology, the purpose of public intellectuals today, and is the “Benedict option” a realistic route for those who no longer want to be part of the “public square”? What role does art, journalism, and popular culture play in the public? Have some generations been more public-oriented than others and if so, why?

May, 2019: Culture

May is dedicated to culture, such as literature, music, theater, dance, and art. This year is the 300th anniversary of the publication of Robinson Crusoe; the 150th anniversary of War and Peace; and the 100th anniversary of Winesbury, Ohio so we will be particularly open to submissions on these works.

June, 2019: Technology and Ideology

June investigates the nature and role of technology and ideology in our lives past and present.  Some possible questions are what does it mean to be conservative, liberal, progressive, or otherwise today? How do certain ideologies become solidified in society while others become undermined? What is the relationship between ideology and technology? How does big data affect our encounter with the world? What is the future of technology in academia, such as social media, email forums, and online publications?

July, 2019: Eric Voegelin, Pedagogy, and the University

July examines the life, ideas, and teaching of Eric Voegelin. Possible subjects of inquiry are the pedagogical philosophy of Voegelin and how he taught in the classroom. What was the importance of education for Voegelin? What role should the university play in society?

August, 2019: Education

For the start of the academic year, August will investigate the nature and purpose of education. Some ideas to contemplate are what is liberal education, civic education, and statesmanship or leadership education? What is the value of multiculturalism in today’s university curriculum? What can universities do to make a public case of their value?

September, 2019: Global Politics, Economics & Cosmopolitanism

This month we will explore global politics, economics, and cosmopolitanism past and present. Some possible topics to think about are what is cosmopolitanism and its relationship to globalization? What foreign policy should countries, like the United States, adopt? What are trade-off’s in a free trade policy? Is there a difference between wealth, labor, and work?

October, 2019: U.S. Politics, Law, Culture, and History

With the U.S. mid-term elections next month, October will look at the politics, law, culture, and history of the United States. Besides addressing contemporary politics, some questions to consider is what does it mean to be politically moderate, and is possible, in present-day America? What does it mean to be an American citizen and a statesman? Are there other periods in American history when the country has confronted similar challenges and opportunities as today?

November, 2019: Eric Voegelin, Science, and Politics

November looks at the life, ideas, and work of Eric Voegelin. Some possible themes to consider are what did Voegelin mean by science, political science, and politics? What would Voegelin say about political science and politics today, such as globalization? What is the purpose of political theory for Voegelin?

December, 2019: Religion

We conclude the calendar year with a look at religion, spirituality, and studies of the divine. Some possible questions to consider are what role does religion play and should play in our society? Is religion compatible with liberal democracy? Can, and if so how, liberal democracies tolerate non-Judeo-Christian religions?