COLUMBUS, OH – September 22, 2025 – The Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society is set to host its first annual national conference focused on educating for citizenship and the crucial role of free speech on Sept. 26-27. This landmark event aims to be a catalyst for new scholarship in civic thought, generating ideas that can inform higher education policy at the state and federal level.
More than 50 scholars will present their work, exploring the philosophical, historical, and practical foundations of civic education and leadership. The conference will feature 18 panels, four plenary sessions, and a keynote. Topics will include rhetoric, virtue, classical education, and challenges facing modern democratic societies.
The conference will feature a lineup of distinguished keynote and plenary speakers, including Justin Dyer, Jenna Silber Storey, Mark Bauerlein, Sean Patrick Kelly, and Aaron Kushner. They will address critical themes such as citizenship, civic thought, and educational reform. Panelists will present research on historical figures like Cicero, Tocqueville, Milton, and Lincoln, as well as contemporary issues such as climate change, disability studies, and political disaffection.
Overall, the conference will emphasize the renewal of civic virtue, liberal education, and public discourse in an era marked by ideological division and institutional uncertainty.
For more information, please contact Professor Christopher Green at green.2892@osu.edu.
Mission and Impact
Established in 2023 by the state of Ohio, the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society is dedicated to researching and teaching the historical ideas, traditions, and texts that have shaped American society and its constitutional order. The center prepares students to become civic leaders by providing opportunities to read primary texts, hone their research and writing skills, and present their work orally.