Presidential Senior Fellow Enhances Liberal Arts Connections
David Brooks, a prominent author and columnist, has accepted a five-year role as a Presidential Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, commencing on February 1. This position comes as part of the newly established Presidential Senior Fellowship program initiated by Yale’s President, Maurie McInnis. The program aims to connect scholarly insights with broader societal conversations.
Goals of the Presidential Senior Fellowship Program
The Presidential Senior Fellowship program is designed to address the growing skepticism about higher education. Its objectives include:
- Bringing experts to campus to foster respectful debates.
- Expanding public access to transformative knowledge generated by universities.
- Enhancing connections between academic work and societal challenges.
President McInnis stated, “One of the hallmarks of David’s career has been his ability to gather ideas from a broad swath of disciplines.” This skill is expected to facilitate connections between Yale’s research and global knowledge initiatives.
Engagement and Programming Initiatives
During the upcoming spring semester, Brooks plans to host a series of events, including lectures and discussions with diverse leaders. The programming will focus on increasing public engagement with liberal arts through innovative offerings, such as:
- A new weekly video podcast from The Atlantic, hosted by Brooks, featuring various experts.
- Lectures encouraging dialogue on critical humanistic questions, including democracy and purpose in life.
James Levinsohn, the Dean of the Yale Jackson School, emphasized the importance of engaging students with differing ideas, stating that having Brooks involved will greatly benefit their educational experience.
Brooks’ Background and Expertise
David Brooks is a staff writer for The Atlantic and has contributed to PBS NewsHour. Previously, he spent 22 years as an opinion columnist for The New York Times and has written for The Wall Street Journal. He has authored several books focusing on themes from neuroscience to ethics.
Walter Isaacson, a National Humanities Medal laureate, highlighted Brooks’ capability to lead national conversations at a crucial time for societal purpose. Oona Hathaway, a law professor at Yale, also praised Brooks for his role in facilitating important discussions across political divides.
Brooks previously served as a Senior Fellow at Yale from 2012 to 2018 and returned for a brief tenure from 2021 to 2022. He taught a class on humility, which inspired his bestselling book, “The Road to Character.”
Expressing concern about current societal divides, Brooks remarked, “America is in a state of political, cultural, and moral crisis.” He aims to collaborate with educators to navigate towards a more promising future.
