America at 250: Liberal Education, Self-Government, and the Future of the Republic

<div class="header alignfull header--article header--min-height-full has-background has-tonal-black-background-color"> <div class="header__layout"> <div class="header__content"> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-category"> Blog Posts, and Videos</div></div></div> <h1 class="header__title has-h2-variant">Archives</h1> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="favorite-block"> <button class="favorite" data-id="258336" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" /></svg></button></div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-program_tax"> <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/aspen-community-programs/">Aspen Community Programs</a></div></div></div> </div> </div> <figure class="header__media" role="presentation"> <img decoding="async" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1635x1090.jpg" alt="" width="1635" height="1090" srcset="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1635x1090.jpg 1635w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1600x1067.jpg 1600w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1013x675.jpg 1013w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-1014x676.jpg 1014w, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/TKO1332-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1635px) 100vw, 1635px" loading="eager" class="header__image" style="object-position: 71% 12%"> <span class="header__overlay" style="opacity: 0.8"></span> </figure> </div> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="America at 250: Liberal Education, Self-Government, and the Future of the Republic" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LyyWFYByHkA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Shilo Brooks</strong>, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and professor of practice in the Department of Political Science at Southern Methodist University, joins <strong>Todd Breyfogle</strong>, senior advisor for humanistic studies and practices at the Aspen Institute, for a conversation about the ideas and institutions that shape American democracy. He has served as executive director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, and has spent his career exploring the principles that underlie the American political tradition and the role of liberal education in preparing citizens for thoughtful, engaged participation in civic life. As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, Brooks reflects on the enduring ideals at the heart of the American experiment and on the importance of reading, reflection, and civic learning to the project of self-government. Drawing on the great books and foundational texts from American history, he considers how these works can help us think for ourselves and participate more meaningfully in democratic life. Presented as part of the McCloskey Speaker Series.</p> <div>&nbsp;</div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/america-at-250-liberal-education-self-government-and-the-future-of-the-republic/">America at 250: Liberal Education, Self-Government, and the Future of the Republic</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>