Francis Fukuyama

The Origins of Political Order

One of America’s most distinguished political thinkers took the John Adams Institute stage for the second time to discuss his far-ranging exploration of history and society. Francis Fukuyama’s book is about how states form, but while it goes back into the distant past, its relevance is very up-to-date. How did ancient societies relinquish their tribal …...

Christopher Caldwell

Reflections on the Revolution in Europe

October 16, 2009

This was the third event in our New America Series, sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a senior editor at The Weekly Standard and a contributor to The Financial Times, Christopher Caldwell is a Young Turk (if one can apply the term) in the American conservative movement.  His provocative arguments have covered everything from California’s budget …...

Saïd Sayrafiezadeh

When Skateboards Will Be Free

Say you grew up in 1970s and 1980s America. Say your father was Iranian and your mother was Jewish.  Say both were radical members of the Socialist Workers Party, who cared more about handing out political leaflets than taking care of you. What would you do?  If you were Saїd Sayrafiezadeh, you would write an …...

Amy Chua

Day of Empire

The Persian dynasties, the Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic in the 17th century, United States of America: all of these hyperpowers grew to world dominance at a time when they had high concentrations of minorities. Each admitted people who had been persecuted or cast off. And each profited from them. So says Amy Chua in …...

Madeleine Albright

Memo to the President-Elect

February 19, 2008

19 February 2008 A one-of-a-kind event with Madeleine Albright: Secretary Albright discussed her book, Memo to the President-Elect, offered her analysis of what the next president must do to restore America’s international standing, and assessed the presidential candidates. This event was a coproduction of the John Adams Institute, the International School for Humanities and Social …...

Christopher Hitchens

God Is Not Great

February 13, 2008

13 February 2008 He dismisses Hillary Clinton as “an aging and resentful female” and, regarding Barack Obama, he asks, “why is a man with a white mother considered to be ‘black,’ anyway?” Christopher Hitchens is one of America’s most provocative public intellectuals. In his book, God Is Not Great – a runaway bestseller in the U.S. – …...