Visiting Scholar to Discuss Political Crises in Constitution Day Lecture

Visiting Scholar to Discuss Political Crises in Constitution Day Lecture

The University of Toledo's Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership will explore the politics of crisis in its third annual lecture in honor of Constitution Day.

Dr. Benjamin Kleinerman, the R.W. Morrison Professor of Political Science at Baylor University in Texas, will present "The Constitution and the Crisis Presidency" at noon on Thursday, Sept. 17, in Rocket Hall Room 1554.

Lunch will be provided at the free, public lecture.

Kleinerman is a writer and scholar whose research explores the relationship between executive power and constitutional order. His first book, "The Discretionary President: The Promise and Peril of Executive Power," considers the power of the president to respond to legitimate threats without endangering the constitutional order.

In his Constitution Day Lecture at UToledo, Kleinerman will explore themes he covers in this book and in his upcoming book, "The Crisis Presidency," anticipated in 2027.

"Our Constitution has undergone pressure from presidents testing their authority," said Dr. Michael Gonzalez, senior associate director of the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership. "We're fortunate to have Professor Ben Kleinerman, a recognized scholar of executive authority - and a friend and mentor from Baylor University - to lead our students in an investigation of questions related to this topic and to offer a public lecture for our community."

UToledo's Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership hosts an annual lecture in honor of Constitution Day, an annual observance that commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

Kleinerman will also lead a weeklong seminar for the Institute titled "The Politics of the Declaration of Independence" beginning Monday, Sept. 14. A dozen students are set to participate in the series of evening discussions exploring how principles laid out in this founding document continue to shape public debate in the United States.

This seminar is part of a larger initiative Gonzalez began in the spring with support from the Jack Miller Center. Funding from other donors has made it possible for the Institute to host two seminars every semester, giving UToledo undergraduates a unique opportunity to study American political thought with nationally recognized scholars.

Free visitor parking for the Constitution Day Lecture is in Area 25.

All other visitor parking requires payment through the ParkMobile app, a parking meter or a daily permit via ParkUToledo. Visit the ParkUToledo website for more information.