The Henry Salvatori Center: Honoring First Principles
New director maintains same vision for CMC's prestigious research institute
Lauren Thompson
Last Updated: 10/30/08 Section: Campus
As the 2008-2009 academic year shifted into high gear, the Claremont Independent took note of a historic change at Claremont McKenna's oldest research institution: after 17 years of distinguished leadership and service, Professor of Government Charles R. Kesler passed the mantle of Salvatori Center Director to Professor Mark Blitz, Fletcher Jones Professor of Political Philosophy and Chairman of the Government Department. The CI sat down with Professor Blitz to reflect on the institute's past as well as discuss his plans and goals for its future.
The following is an edited transcript of the September 19, 2008, interview:
As the new Salvatori Director, how would you define the mission statement of the Center? How would you characterize its role here at CMC, especially as distinct from the other research institutes?
Our mission continues to be what it's been from the beginning: to advance the understanding of freedom, of natural rights, and of their intelligent use, and to do this through programs that benefit students and faculty. The other institutes have different missions.
Of the Salvatori traditions promulgated by former Director Kesler, which would you most like to see preserved?
Charles has done a terrific job in building up the institute during his tenure. I will try to continue the things that he has done and just develop them further: fostering a close relationship between students and the Center; pursuing serious work in various areas of political philosophy, such as his recent series of conferences on the work of Leo Strauss; and bringing voices to campus through the Center that might not otherwise be heard. These are significant accomplishments that I will try to advance.
What would you consider to be the Center's most valuable contribution since its founding in 1969?
Broadly speaking, I think that it is to be a place where students gain valuable research experience. There have been many particular conferences and seminars which have been very useful as well (for example, those on American Progressivism and on the traditions of freedom), but the Center's chief contribution involves its ongoing activity with students.
What types of speakers and events are you looking to host in the future, and do you plan to undertake any structural departure in this regard from the approach of past years?
Looking at the next few years and taking them as a whole, I will want to do several things. One is to add some emphasis in the field of constitutional law, and to have workshops of scholars (which will be based on papers that they present) in which our undergraduate students can become involved. I would also like to conduct similar workshops in other areas where we have policy strength, such as religion and politics. In addition, we will continue the work on Leo Strauss and then over time begin to hold comparable workshops on some of the great traditional names in political philosophy. I would like to begin a series of workshops in these kinds of areas, to be held at least once a year. Overall, I think the Center will concentrate a little more on this type of conference activity, although we will still invite scholars to speak on independent topics.
This question sort of dovetails with the preceding one: what is your five-year goal for the Salvatori Center? Where would you like to see the institute in ten years?
Indeed it does dovetail. In addition to continuing our successful programs of the past, my five-year goal is to conduct serious intellectual work in all of the areas I just mentioned, perhaps even publishing the resulting papers or posting them to our newly designed website (http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/salvatori/) to increase awareness of the Center and expand the influence of its work. This is both my five- and ten-year goal for the institute intellectually, as well as continuing to support students and scholars. The difference would be that ten years from now, I think we will have firmly incorporated into our general program several workshops on various thinkers in political philosophy. Within the five-year period, the constitutional law work and some of the public policy work should be well-developed; within the ten-year period, we should be able to build on this with further work on Strauss and other political philosophers. Financially speaking, I hope that support from the institute's endowment will remain strong. If possible, I will also try to raise money in particular areas to support some of our specific projects.
Do you anticipate most of the Center's future events to be located at or around CMC, as they have been in the past, or would you consider branching them out across the country or even internationally?
It's true that in the past we have mostly been here, but not exclusively; a couple of our events have been located in other places. One of the upcoming Strauss conferences may well be in Chicago, perhaps as early as the one scheduled for 2010 in the spring. It might make sense to hold one of the constitutional law workshops off-campus. The virtue of doing it on-campus, of course, is that it is much easier to involve our students, which is a central part of the institute's activity. But every now and then it is sensible to go to another place, where there is a strong reason to do so.
How about a Machiavelli conference in Italy?
Yes, a Machiavelli conference in Florence itself! It's a good idea.
We would need a very generous benefactor.
Right, either that or it would need to be pay-your-own-way.
What types of Salvatori events may we expect this fall?
The major event coming up this semester is the next iteration of the Leo Strauss conference in December. It will be held on roughly the 50th anniversary of the publication of Strauss's Thoughts on Machiavelli, what some argue is his very best book.
Does the Salvatori Center have a theme for its programs and events in 2008-2009, and if so, how would you characterize it?
We have the same theme in a broad sense every year, which is to advance the study and understanding of freedom and natural rights, along with their proper and responsible use. That is really our overarching theme, and all of our activities fall within and serve it.
Going forward into the 21st century, how would you describe the institute's central focus? Do you foresee a need for it to shift in any capacity in response to what will change?
I don't think so. I think the key thing is precisely to advance the traditional and standard focus, because it is a focus of permanent importance: the beliefs that underlie the Center's work - in particular, the belief in the importance of studying and truly understanding natural rights and of correctly applying this knowledge - are intellectually and politically fundamental at all times. We go forward by keeping our attention on what's immutable and enduring.
First principles?
First principles.
What is an important point about the Salvatori Center that you think is largely unknown or misunderstood (if anything)?
I think something that is true generally of all the research institutes is that the level of student activity and the skills that students acquire simply from helping to manage the program are somewhat underappreciated among students, faculty, and even alums who haven't themselves been involved. Perhaps something that is not understood well enough but again is true of all the research institutes is how unique they are as a group for liberal arts colleges or in fact for American higher education. There are many individual research opportunities for undergraduates in American higher education - and we make those opportunities available at Salvatori just as CMC's other research centers do - but to have research institutes whose primary focus is on undergraduates and primary attention is to undergraduate participation is rare. To have so many research institutions that are funded ultimately through the generosity of donors and the endowment that accumulates over the years is also unique. So the number and character of the research institutes here are a large part of what is interesting about CMC, and I would count the Salvatori Center, the college's oldest research institute, as one of the most significant and important among them.
In what ways would you encourage students to become involved in the life of the Center?
We have research assistantships which students who are not yet involved can inquire about, certainly starting next year or this spring. We have undergraduate fellowships that students may apply for and participate in. We host conferences and speaker events that students are welcomed to attend. We also have a non-funded program, the Salvatori Jr. Fellows, in which selected students can meet, be exposed to, and engage speakers and conference participants we bring to campus. All of these ways would be great opportunities to get involved.
Lastly, is there a message as the new Salvatori Director that you would like to convey to the student body and/or the CMC community at large?
Much of what goes on at the Salvatori Center belongs to the heart of a Claremont McKenna education: understanding the basis of good citizenship, the foundation of sound government, and the ground of individual freedom. Because of this, I think we have an important place at the college and play an important role. To put it perhaps more directly, what we do at Salvatori is at the center of what the mission of the school should be, which is to prepare students for responsible citizenship by understanding its real grounds: freedom, natural rights, and the intelligent use of those rights. And that is a mission for the school which I think holds regardless of a student's major or the professional career that he or she eventually chooses to pursue.
Thank you very much for your time, Professor.
Lauren Thompson is a senior at CMC and a contributing editor of the CI.
The following is an edited transcript of the September 19, 2008, interview:
As the new Salvatori Director, how would you define the mission statement of the Center? How would you characterize its role here at CMC, especially as distinct from the other research institutes?
Our mission continues to be what it's been from the beginning: to advance the understanding of freedom, of natural rights, and of their intelligent use, and to do this through programs that benefit students and faculty. The other institutes have different missions.
Of the Salvatori traditions promulgated by former Director Kesler, which would you most like to see preserved?
Charles has done a terrific job in building up the institute during his tenure. I will try to continue the things that he has done and just develop them further: fostering a close relationship between students and the Center; pursuing serious work in various areas of political philosophy, such as his recent series of conferences on the work of Leo Strauss; and bringing voices to campus through the Center that might not otherwise be heard. These are significant accomplishments that I will try to advance.
What would you consider to be the Center's most valuable contribution since its founding in 1969?
Broadly speaking, I think that it is to be a place where students gain valuable research experience. There have been many particular conferences and seminars which have been very useful as well (for example, those on American Progressivism and on the traditions of freedom), but the Center's chief contribution involves its ongoing activity with students.
What types of speakers and events are you looking to host in the future, and do you plan to undertake any structural departure in this regard from the approach of past years?
Looking at the next few years and taking them as a whole, I will want to do several things. One is to add some emphasis in the field of constitutional law, and to have workshops of scholars (which will be based on papers that they present) in which our undergraduate students can become involved. I would also like to conduct similar workshops in other areas where we have policy strength, such as religion and politics. In addition, we will continue the work on Leo Strauss and then over time begin to hold comparable workshops on some of the great traditional names in political philosophy. I would like to begin a series of workshops in these kinds of areas, to be held at least once a year. Overall, I think the Center will concentrate a little more on this type of conference activity, although we will still invite scholars to speak on independent topics.
This question sort of dovetails with the preceding one: what is your five-year goal for the Salvatori Center? Where would you like to see the institute in ten years?
Indeed it does dovetail. In addition to continuing our successful programs of the past, my five-year goal is to conduct serious intellectual work in all of the areas I just mentioned, perhaps even publishing the resulting papers or posting them to our newly designed website (http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/salvatori/) to increase awareness of the Center and expand the influence of its work. This is both my five- and ten-year goal for the institute intellectually, as well as continuing to support students and scholars. The difference would be that ten years from now, I think we will have firmly incorporated into our general program several workshops on various thinkers in political philosophy. Within the five-year period, the constitutional law work and some of the public policy work should be well-developed; within the ten-year period, we should be able to build on this with further work on Strauss and other political philosophers. Financially speaking, I hope that support from the institute's endowment will remain strong. If possible, I will also try to raise money in particular areas to support some of our specific projects.
Do you anticipate most of the Center's future events to be located at or around CMC, as they have been in the past, or would you consider branching them out across the country or even internationally?
It's true that in the past we have mostly been here, but not exclusively; a couple of our events have been located in other places. One of the upcoming Strauss conferences may well be in Chicago, perhaps as early as the one scheduled for 2010 in the spring. It might make sense to hold one of the constitutional law workshops off-campus. The virtue of doing it on-campus, of course, is that it is much easier to involve our students, which is a central part of the institute's activity. But every now and then it is sensible to go to another place, where there is a strong reason to do so.
How about a Machiavelli conference in Italy?
Yes, a Machiavelli conference in Florence itself! It's a good idea.
We would need a very generous benefactor.
Right, either that or it would need to be pay-your-own-way.
What types of Salvatori events may we expect this fall?
The major event coming up this semester is the next iteration of the Leo Strauss conference in December. It will be held on roughly the 50th anniversary of the publication of Strauss's Thoughts on Machiavelli, what some argue is his very best book.
Does the Salvatori Center have a theme for its programs and events in 2008-2009, and if so, how would you characterize it?
We have the same theme in a broad sense every year, which is to advance the study and understanding of freedom and natural rights, along with their proper and responsible use. That is really our overarching theme, and all of our activities fall within and serve it.
Going forward into the 21st century, how would you describe the institute's central focus? Do you foresee a need for it to shift in any capacity in response to what will change?
I don't think so. I think the key thing is precisely to advance the traditional and standard focus, because it is a focus of permanent importance: the beliefs that underlie the Center's work - in particular, the belief in the importance of studying and truly understanding natural rights and of correctly applying this knowledge - are intellectually and politically fundamental at all times. We go forward by keeping our attention on what's immutable and enduring.
First principles?
First principles.
What is an important point about the Salvatori Center that you think is largely unknown or misunderstood (if anything)?
I think something that is true generally of all the research institutes is that the level of student activity and the skills that students acquire simply from helping to manage the program are somewhat underappreciated among students, faculty, and even alums who haven't themselves been involved. Perhaps something that is not understood well enough but again is true of all the research institutes is how unique they are as a group for liberal arts colleges or in fact for American higher education. There are many individual research opportunities for undergraduates in American higher education - and we make those opportunities available at Salvatori just as CMC's other research centers do - but to have research institutes whose primary focus is on undergraduates and primary attention is to undergraduate participation is rare. To have so many research institutions that are funded ultimately through the generosity of donors and the endowment that accumulates over the years is also unique. So the number and character of the research institutes here are a large part of what is interesting about CMC, and I would count the Salvatori Center, the college's oldest research institute, as one of the most significant and important among them.
In what ways would you encourage students to become involved in the life of the Center?
We have research assistantships which students who are not yet involved can inquire about, certainly starting next year or this spring. We have undergraduate fellowships that students may apply for and participate in. We host conferences and speaker events that students are welcomed to attend. We also have a non-funded program, the Salvatori Jr. Fellows, in which selected students can meet, be exposed to, and engage speakers and conference participants we bring to campus. All of these ways would be great opportunities to get involved.
Lastly, is there a message as the new Salvatori Director that you would like to convey to the student body and/or the CMC community at large?
Much of what goes on at the Salvatori Center belongs to the heart of a Claremont McKenna education: understanding the basis of good citizenship, the foundation of sound government, and the ground of individual freedom. Because of this, I think we have an important place at the college and play an important role. To put it perhaps more directly, what we do at Salvatori is at the center of what the mission of the school should be, which is to prepare students for responsible citizenship by understanding its real grounds: freedom, natural rights, and the intelligent use of those rights. And that is a mission for the school which I think holds regardless of a student's major or the professional career that he or she eventually chooses to pursue.
Thank you very much for your time, Professor.
Lauren Thompson is a senior at CMC and a contributing editor of the CI.
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