Founding Values: America 250 Years Later
Spring 2026 Event Series
Founding Values is an event series designed for ASU and the surrounding community to distance ourselves from partisan politics and reflect on the values represented in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
The semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, offers us a unique and timely opportunity to ask if we are upholding those values, and what we can do as a community to protect those values—if we think that they ought to be protected.
In response to a call for proposed sessions, the Lincoln Center received many timely and important proposals from faculty, students and community members. We are thrilled to be able to offer support for such a diverse set of sessions through the event series.
Founding Values will host seven events over three weeks: from April 13 to 28. The event series is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
Series Schedule
Promises and Institutions
April 13, 2026
1:30–3:00 p.m.
West Hall, Room 135
1000 Cady Mall Tempe AZ 85281
The panelists will reflect on specific values and institutions represented in the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. Drawing on interdisciplinary expertise across Political Science, Political Economy and History, they will discuss how these reflect America’s founding documents’ promises of Limited Government, Habeas Corpus and Due Process including for minorities; and “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
Organized in partnership with the School of Politics and Global Studies.
Reflective Patriotism
April 15, 2026
4:30–6:00 p.m.
Coor Hall, Room 4403
976 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281
In collaboration with the Undergraduate Philosophy Club, this event will be a lightly moderated student discussion, with a brief presentation from Paul Carrese about the virtue of "Reflective Patriotism" which will be the topic for discussion. As with all Philosophy Club Meetings, food will be served.
Organized in partnership with the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies and the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.
Speech and Press
April 17, 2026
4:00–5:00 p.m.
West Hall, Room 135
1000 Cady Mall Tempe AZ 85281
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, founders of the United States, believed in the importance of freedom of conscience, which may be connected to freedom to exercise one’s thoughts and beliefs as well as to freedom of speech and press. U.S. Supreme Court opinions subsequently connected freedom of expression to fundamental liberties recognized in the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This panel, which will be a discussion among communication and legal experts, will explore freedom of speech and press rights in the United States, how necessary free expression values are to a functioning democracy, and how we can protect these values.
Organized in partnership with the Cronkite School.
Dramatic Reflections
April 21, 2026
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Nelson Fine Arts Center, Studio 133
51 E 10th Street Tempe, AZ 85281
This event will consist of original performances by playwriting students and professors at ASU related to the values expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
Organized in partnership with the School of Music, Dance and Theatre.
Citizen Tom Paine
April 23, 2026
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Mirabella, Auditorium
65 E University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281
This event is a dramatic reading of excerpts from the historical novel Citizen Tom Paine including a spoken Introduction and spoken Conclusion to inform the audience of who Tom Paine was, how his pamphlet Common Sense was received, and how it foreshadowed the Declaration of Independence.
Organized in partnership with the Institute for Civil Dialogue.
Protections for the Digital Age
April 27, 2026
3:00–4:30 p.m.
West Hall, Room 135
1000 Cady Mall Tempe AZ 85281
Advances in artificial intelligence present new opportunities to strengthen democratic representation rather than weaken it. This talk explores how AI tools can be used to better inform the public, more effectively gather and interpret public input, and communicate citizens’ priorities to democratic representative bodies. By examining emerging mechanisms for large-scale civic feedback, deliberation, and policy communication, the discussion considers how digital technologies—when thoughtfully designed and governed—can enhance political representation, public understanding, and democratic responsiveness in the digital age.
Organized in partnership with the Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability at Ohio State University.
Citizen Control with General H.R. McMaster
April 28, 2026
5:30–7:00 p.m.
Memorial Union, Ventana Ballroom A & B
301 E Orange St., Tempe, AZ 85281
This event will feature a keynote lecture by General McMaster focused on the founding value of civilian control of the military. Following the lecture, a cadet-moderated conversation will take place, applying those lessons to today’s civil-military challenges, including political polarization, social-media pressures on apolitical service, the domestic use of forces, and the citizen-soldier ideal.
Organized in partnership with the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership and the Department of Military Science.