Acclaimed Author to Discuss Who We Are as a Nation

Harvard University professor and acclaimed author Danielle Allen, Ph.D., will present the highly-anticipated Humanities and Hoban Lecture, “Who are We as a Nation? Educating for Democracy” at The University of Scranton on Thursday, Nov. 16 and also available via live stream.

Dr. Allen is a political theorist whose most recent book, “Justice by Means of Democracy,” examines the importance of political equality and democracy in building a just society. She will speak at the DeNaples Center Ballroom at 7 p.m. with a question and answer session and book signing immediately following the talk. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

The book has received national recognition with New York Times columnist Peter Coy calling is an “important” work. Dr. Allen is also the author of several other books, including “Our Declaration: a reading of the Declaration of Independence in defense of equality” and writes a column on constitutional democracy for The Washington Post.

“Dr. Allen brings a wealth of civic experience and scholarly expertise in considering questions of civic engagement and democratic participation that are so relevant to the work we have been doing locally, as we conclude the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project and to continue the longstanding Hoban lecture series,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project and the assistant vice president of community engagement and government affairs.

The event caps off the community-wide two-year Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project that has explored the aspirational journey to fulfill our national ideals through the lens of Scranton, including many of the key elements of our nation’s experience: industrial era growth and economic decline, waves of immigration past and present, and Black and Indigenous experiences. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant, Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story has engaged community members in conversation about local and national identity, historical narratives and belonging, and our role as community members and as citizens.

“How do we educate for a just and pluralistic democracy in light of the 250^th U.S. anniversary? Given the role of narrative and political identity in democratic citizenship, who are ‘we’ as Americans, and a nation, today and how can we work toward that more perfect union? These are some of the questions we are considering locally and which Dr. Allen’s work and writings bring relevant and timely attention to,” said Cohen.

The Hoban Lecture series is presented in collaboration with the Lackawanna Bar Association.

“The Honorable T. Linus Hoban Memorial Lecture was established in 1978 in Judge Hoban’s memory with a mission to bring to the community speakers who have achieved distinction the fields of Law, government and public affairs,” said John C. Mascelli, Esq., president of the Lackawanna Bar Association. “Dr. Danielle Allen joins a highly-distinguished list of past speakers and the Lackawanna Bar Association is proud to partner once again with The University of Scranton and to celebrate the conclusion of the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project.”

Dr. Allen is the James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Allen Lab for Renovating Democracy at Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Ash Center. She also co-chaired the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship and was the 2020 winner of the Library of Congress’ Kluge Prize, which recognizes scholarly achievement. The awards committee lauded her for “internationally recognized scholarship in political theory and her commitment to improving democratic practice and civics education."

She is also the founder and president of Partners in Democracy, an organization that advocates for democracy reform and political equality.

Additional University partners include the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities and Weinberg Memorial Library and community partners as part of the Scranton Story, Our Nation’s Story project include: Black Scranton Project, Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture, Lackawanna County Immigrant Inclusion Committee, Lackawanna Historical Society, Neighborworks Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Scranton Public Library.

Registration for attendance for the Nov. 16 talk can be done online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Allen-lecture with an option to receive  a link to a live stream. Questions, call 570-941-4419.