View this email in your browser ([link removed])
Mackinac Center Interns Explore the Conservative Disposition at the Russell Kirk Center

Hello
John,
The Russell Kirk Center recently welcomed interns from the Mackinac Center for their annual intellectual retreat, this year centered on the theme “Russell Kirk and the Conservative Disposition.”

Joining them were two distinguished scholars whose expertise bridged both theory and practice: Dr. Ryan Streeter, Executive Director of the Civitas Institute and former domestic policy advisor in federal and state government, and Dr. Lee Trepanier, Dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Assumption University and a leading scholar of political science and civic education.

The day began with Dr. Trepanier’s introduction to the conservative intellectual movement in America, which led into his talk, “Russell Kirk on Liberal and Character Education.” This talk connected Kirk’s conservatism to the broader tradition of the liberal arts. Dr. Streeter then followed with a talk entitled “Conservatism and Community: Civil Society and the Value of Moral Habits,” bringing the insights of modern social science into a compelling case for the importance of intermediary institutions—families, schools, churches, and voluntary associations—in fostering human flourishing.

You can find more photos and responses from the The Mackinac Center interns on our highlights page ([link removed]) .
[link removed]

"It had a profound and long-lasting impact on our family for which we continue to be grateful."

Ryan Streeter, Exec. Director of the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, describes his first weekend visit (at the urging of his pre-political friend, Mike Pence) to the Kirk Center, and his eventual return as a Wilbur Fellow with his young family, during which time he finished his doctoral dissertation.

Participants Explore The American Political Novel

This July, the Russell Kirk Center’s new School of Conservative Studies hosted its first in-person seminar, “The American Political Novel,” welcoming a select group of scholars and professionals to Mecosta. This program highlighted the intersection of politics, literature, and the moral imagination.

Dr. David Hein, the Center’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow and author of Teaching the Virtues, guided the discussions, delivered lectures, and incorporated writing prompts on which participants received thoughtful feedback.

The seminar centered on a careful study of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, which literary critic Sanford Pinsker called “the best serious novel about politics ever written in America.” Participants examined the themes of virtue and vice, power and corruption, the difficult balance between ends and means, and the enduring reality of human imperfectability—proof of why All the King’s Men remains as relevant today as when it was first published.

As Russell Kirk reminded us, “Real literature is something much better than a harmless instrument for getting through idle hours. The purpose of great literature is to help us to develop into full human beings.” This inaugural seminar of the School of Conservative Studies embodied that conviction—inviting participants not only to read a great work, but to wrestle with its moral truths and deepen their understanding of the human condition.

You can find more photos and responses from the seminar on our highlights page ([link removed]) .

Upcoming Lectures and Master Classes from the School of Conservative Studies
An Evening with Christopher Dawson: Introducing a Historian of Culture

The School of Conservative Studies is pleased to invite you to a live virtual lecture, “An Evening with Christopher Dawson: Introducing a Historian of Culture,” on September 2 at 7 pm ET. Dr. Joseph T. Stuart will introduce us to the great British historian of ideas, Christopher Dawson, in an engaging presentation, followed by a Q&A discussion moderated by Darrell Falconburg. This event is free and open to the public upon registration.

Dawson maintained that religion has always shaped human culture—including politics—throughout world history. He emphasized that when moderns ignore or deny this reality, they end up turning politics itself into a kind of religion. Although decades have passed since his death, Dawson’s conservative thought can continue to inspire us.

Register for this free lecture here ([link removed]*lz5o43*_gcl_au*OTA0NjY4NjM2LjE3NDk2NzQ0MDM.*_ga*MTY4ODcxNjk2MS4xNzQ5NzM3MDk4*_ga_L8TBF28DDX*czE3NTA4MDU0NzgkbzckZzEkdDE3NTA4MDY5NDYkajU5JGwwJGgw&mc_cid=0adaeeec51&mc_eid=UNIQID#/registration) .
The Conservative as Artist: Flannery O’Connor and the Ethical Life

This online master class taught by Kirk Center Senior Fellow Michal Federici explores Flannery O’Connor as a writer whose work reveals the moral imagination at the heart of the conservative tradition. Participants will consider the moral philosophy of Flannery O’Connor by analyzing selected short stories such as “The Lame Shall Enter First” and “Good Country People.” The course will focus on O’Connor’s use of darkness to illuminate the realities of the ethical life.

Open to students, teachers, young professionals, and lifelong learners, enrollment for this online master class is limited to no more than 15 participants, and applications are due by August 19, 2025. Early application is recommended. Please send a resume and letter of interest to Darrell Falconburg at [email protected]. More information can be found on our academic offerings page ([link removed]) .

As always, we thank you for supporting our work with your giving, prayers, and goodwill. We hope to see you online or in person soon for one of our seminars or master classes.

Yours in the permanent things,

Jeffrey O. Nelson, Ph.D.
Executive Director & CEO
Support the Kirk Center ([link removed])

============================================================
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
Copyright © 2025 The Russell Kirk Center, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in to our list on one of our websites.

Our mailing address is:
The Russell Kirk Center
PO Box 4
Mecosta, MI 49332
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.