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The key founding documents of the United States -- such as The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Federalist Papers -- are formational in understanding the role of a citizen in the American polity. Drawing from philosophy, political theory and history, this theme will highlight several key ideas, including:

• limited government
• freedom
• equality
• the nature of rights
• the common good
• democracy

Guest humanities scholars, Annelien de Dijn, author of "Freedom: An Unruly History" and Aziz Rana, Ph.D., Richard and Lois Cole Professor of Law at Cornell University will provide a keynote lecture on “Freedom and Our Founding - What Do They Mean for Us Today?,” discussing the kind of government our founders sought to establish and freedom they sought to defend, and what their vision means for us today. This theme encourages reflection on how freedom relates to civic responsibility, self-governance, and the responsibility to be an engaged and informed member of society.