Jeffrey Abramson returns Sunday to discuss Western political thought

Former Brandeis professor Jeffrey Abramson will return to campus on Sunday, April 11 to talk about his new, acclaimed book, “Minerva’s Owl: The Tradition of Western Political Thought.” Abramson will discuss how the book developed over his four decades of teaching at Brandeis. The event begins at 8 p.m. in Usdan International Lounge.

“Minerva’s Owl” serves as a guide for readers to discover the tradition of political thought that dates back to Socrates and Plato. Abramson argues politics with the classic writers and draws the reader into a spirited conversation with contemporary examples that illustrate the enduring nature of political dilemmas.

“We wanted to invite professor Abramson to return to Brandeis to speak about his new book because he is such a brilliant and eloquent lecturer and a dedicated teacher,” said Jonah Seligman ’10 of Gen Ed Now, the student group that organized the event.

Seligman continued, “His lectures in our Civil Liberties in America class were truly captivating and inspiring. Professor Abramson has the unique ability to make complex, abstruse ideas accessible and relevant to students and brings a sense of urgency and import to issues of political theory and constitutional law. Since leaving Brandeis, students have dearly missed him, so I am thrilled to have the opportunity to hear him once more before I graduate.

Abramson is currently Professor of Government and Law and Fellow of the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Centennial Chair at the University of Texas. Earlier in his career, he clerked for the former chief justice of the California Supreme Court and served as an assistant district attorney in Massachusetts. He recently completed an assignment as a court-appointed jury expert for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Massachusetts. Abramson received his PhD and JD from Harvard.

This event is organized by Gen Ed Now and co-sponsored by the History of Ideas program and the Department of Politics.

Light refreshments will be served.