{"id":141113,"date":"2022-09-15T09:51:31","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T15:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=141113"},"modified":"2022-09-15T09:55:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T15:55:55","slug":"centering-the-center-for-the-study-of-government-and-the-individual-7-questions-with-josh-dunn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=141113","title":{"rendered":"Centering the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual: 7 Questions with Josh Dunn"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"The
The Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at UCCS was founded to explore the constitutional, economic, political, and social foundations of American society.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What roles should government take in American life? How can individuals participate in the American civic tradition? And how does the history of American government relate to its role today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are foundational questions of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at UCCS, which explores the constitutional, economic, political, and social foundations of American society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2000, the Center is home to several academic programs related to the study of the role of government. The Center\u2019s Program for Preserving a Free and Prosperous Society hosts lectures, supports faculty course development and provides student scholarship funds for research on political and economic liberty. Its Program on Education Policy and Reform generates new research on educational reform, choice, accountability and law, and its Program on the American Constitution is devoted to studying the origins and development of American constitutionalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past few years, the Center has also focused on political polarization and the importance of civil dialogue to healthy political communities. The focus on tolerance, said Josh Dunn, Professor of Political Science at UCCS and Director of the Center, is key to the Center\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThrough all of our programs, we try to emulate the core purposes of the Center: to explore a variety of positions on important historical, constitutional, economic and social questions related to the role of government in society,\u201d Dunn said. \u201cI think it\u2019s crucial for us to model deliberative virtues such as civility, toleration, critical engagement and mutual respect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more, we sat down with Dunn to discuss the mission and vision of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual, and its goals for the future. Read Dunn\u2019s interview below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Describe how and why the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual was started.<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Josh Dunn is a Professor of Political Science at UCCS and Director of the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Center for the Study of Government and the Individual (CSGI) was created from 2000 to 2001 and was directed by James Null, who had been the Dean of the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences at UCCS for nearly 20 years. It was supported by members of the community who wanted to explore different positions on the role of government in lives of individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. How does the Center\u2019s work align with your own background?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My primary area of expertise is public law, with a particular focus on the Constitution and civil rights and liberties. Those fields are, obviously, central to the animating questions the center addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Share a project, piece of research or initiative the Center has advanced that you\u2019re proud of.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n