Federalism and the Decline of Natural Rights | Jud Campbell | 2026 True Lectures, Part 2
Notre Dame Con Studies Public Lecture SeriesShow Notes
Jud Campbell is a professor of law and the Helen L. Crocker Faculty Scholar at Stanford Law School. He previously served as a professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law and has been a visiting professor of law at the Harvard Law School, New York University School of Law, and the University of Chicago Law School.His academic focus is constitutional history and First Amendment law. His publications include articles in the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review, and Yale Law Journal. After completing his J.D. at Stanford Law School, he clerked for Judge Diane S. Sykes on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and for Judge José A. Cabranes on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He then served as the Executive Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center.He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two master’s degrees from the London School of Economics, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar.Inaugurated in the fall of 2024, the True Lecture Series is made possible through the generous support of Tad and Jenn True. This annual lecture series was created to foster the production of scholarly manuscripts of great significance by major scholars that relate to the principles and practices of American Constitutionalism.Visit the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government: https://constudies.nd.edu/***The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the University of Notre Dame, the College of Arts and Letters, or the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.
More from Notre Dame Con Studies Public Lecture Series
Can America's governing institutions still solve big problems, or has red tape replaced responsibility? In this lecture at the Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, Philip K. Howard, lawyer, civic leader, founder of Common Good, and author of "Saving Can Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America," argues that excessive regulation, legal complexity, and bureaucratic micromanagement have undermined America's ability to govern effectively. Drawing on examples from education, infrastructure, environmental regulation, public administration, and constitutional government, Howard makes the case for replacing what he calls the "red tape state" with a system built on human responsibility, practical judgment, and principles-based governance. The discussion explores the relationship between law and human agency, the limits of bureaucratic processes, the importance of institutional leadership, and the role that civic renewal can play in addressing political polarization and restoring public trust. Howard also introduces his proposed "Green Light" initiative, which seeks to revive a culture of responsibility and empower leaders, citizens, and institutions to solve problems more effectively. Topics include: • The rise of the modern regulatory state • Why excessive rules can undermine accountability • Infrastructure, permitting, and government efficiency • Public-sector unions and institutional management • Education reform and school culture • Human judgment versus legal micromanagement • Constitutional government and principles-based leadership • Political polarization and civic renewal • Alexis de Tocqueville and the American tradition of self-government • The "Green Light" vision for governance reform Speaker: • Philip K. Howard, Founder and Chair, Common Good; Author of "The Death of Common Sense" and "Saving Can Do" Hosted by: • The Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government Visit the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government: https://constudies.nd.edu/
What were the most important decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court this term, and what major cases should Americans be watching next?
How should Americans remember September 11, 2001, twenty-five years later? In this special lecture hosted by the Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, a distinguished panel reflects on the events of 9/11, the national response that followed, and the lessons that future generations should carry forward. Panelists share personal memories of the day, discuss the heroism displayed by first responders and ordinary citizens, reflect on America's response at home and abroad, and consider what 9/11 means for citizenship, leadership, faith, public service, and national unity. Speakers include: • Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States • Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame • James J. Dunn, Vice Chairman and Senior Managing Principal of Piper Sandler and co-founder of Sandler O'Neill • Jennie Bradley Lichter '04, former President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund
What can an ancient Greek epic reveal about modern America? In this lecture, Patrick Deneen explores the enduring relevance of Homer's Odyssey and argues that the story of Odysseus illuminates a central tension at the heart of the American character. Drawing connections between the Odyssey, Dante, Christopher Columbus, The Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life, Field of Dreams, and the American founding, Deneen contends that Americans have long been defined by two competing desires: the urge to explore new frontiers and the longing to find a place called home. Deneen describes America as a nation with a "divided soul," torn between movement and settlement, ambition and rootedness, wandering and belonging. Through an exploration of classical literature, political philosophy, and American culture, he examines how these competing impulses continue to shape American identity, politics, and public life. Topics discussed include:• Homer's Odyssey and Western civilization• The American founding and the Declaration of Independence• Odysseus as an American archetype• Christopher Columbus and the discovery of the New World• Dante's reinterpretation of Odysseus• The meaning of home, nostalgia, and belonging• Tocqueville and American restlessness• The Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life, and Field of Dreams• Liberalism, ambition, and mobility• Family, community, and rootedness• Political philosophy and the American character Speaker:Patrick DeneenProfessor of Political ScienceUniversity of Notre DameVisit the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government: https://constudies.nd.edu/***The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the University of Notre Dame, the College of Arts and Letters, or the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.
How should Americans understand the Declaration of Independence 250 years after the founding of the United States?In this lecture at the Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, Bill of Rights Institute President and CEO David Bobb and Senior Fellow Tony Williams discuss ideas from their book, Divided Over the Declaration: How an Enduring Debate Sustains the Vision of America. Addressing an audience of college-bound high school students participating in the Notre Dame Center's citizenship and constitutional government seminar, Bobb and Williams explore the Declaration of Independence as an enduring source of American civic identity, political debate, and self-government.Topics include: • The Declaration of Independence and constitutional government• Abraham Lincoln's understanding of the Declaration and Constitution• Frederick Douglass and "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?"• Equality, liberty, natural rights, and consent of the governed• The constitutional debate over slavery and abolition• The role of civic education in sustaining a democratic republic• The Spanish-American War and debates over American foreign policy• Citizenship, civic virtue, civil discourse, and democratic self-government• How Americans can disagree constructively while remaining committed to constitutional principles This lecture was presented as part of a summer seminar hosted by the Notre Dame Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government for outstanding high school students studying the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln, and the American founding tradition. Speakers:• David Bobb, President & CEO, Bill of Rights Institute• Tony Williams, Senior Fellow, Bill of Rights InstituteVisit the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government: https://constudies.nd.edu/***The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the University of Notre Dame, the College of Arts and Letters, or the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.#declarationofindependence #civiceducation #americanhistory #constitution #citizenship #billofrights #frederickdouglass #abrahamlincoln