W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series to Feature Oxford Political Scientist Teresa M. Bejan
On Tuesday, February 7, at 5 PM, the W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series will present Teresa M. Bejan, a professor of political theory and a fellow of Oriel College at the University of Oxford. The lecture, titled “Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration” (based on her 2017 book of the same name), will be held in Elkins Auditorium.
Bejan’s research explores questions in contemporary political theory through historical perspectives. She writes extensively about the concepts of free speech, civility, tolerance, and equality in historical contexts from ancient Athens to the 20th century. In 2021, she was awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize in Politics, which honors early-career researchers who have achieved international recognition and have exceptional future promise. In addition to her academic research, Bejan frequently writes for popular publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post.
As Bejan writes in an excerpt from Mere Civility, “Modern calls for civility, whether in politics or religion, reflect concerns about the corrosive effects of uncivil disagreement on social bonds and tender consciences very similar to those in the 17th century. These appeals suggest that if only we could get the manner right, the very practice of disagreement itself might work to harmonize our fundamental differences, thus making it possible for us to regard one another across those differences not as enemies, but friends.”
The W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series is made possible through the support of Melanie and Richard Flamminio, the Seaver College Board of Visitors, and the Seaver Parents Association. For more information, visit the W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series website.