National Affairs Series
Since 1968 the National Affairs Committee - originally known as the Institute on National Affairs - has planned an annual series on a topic of national interest. The Committee on Lectures coordinates, reviews, and approves speakers and events planned by this committee.
Membership on the National Affairs Committee is open to all interested members of the university community. The Committee on Lectures appoints up to four representatives to National Affairs. These appointments are for three-year, renewable terms. The Office of the Provost appoints a faculty chair.
Students and faculty interested in joining should contact the Lectures Program director for upcoming meeting dates and times.
2017-18 National Affairs Series: Building a Better DemocracyClick here for upcoming events in the series
Past National Affairs annual themes include:
| 1970 | Violence in America |
| 1971 | Indian: First Americans Last |
| 1972 | Justice Tipped in Whose Favor? |
| 1973 | Pop! Goes Our Culture |
| 1974 | Playground to the Pros: Sport in American Society |
| 1975 | The American Future: 1976 and Beyond |
| 1976 | America on Film |
| 1977 | The People's Right to Know |
| 1978 | Art in America Today: A Public Matter |
| 1979 | America's Economic System: Is it Obsolete? |
| 1980 | Humor in America |
| 1981 | The Bill of Rights: Taking Liberties |
| 1982 | America's Spirit: Dreams, Myth, and Reality |
| 1983 | Poverty: The Great American Nightmare |
| 1984 | 1984: How Close Have We Come? |
| 1985 | Growing Up in America |
| 1986 | The Challenge of Technology |
| 1987 | Controversy and the Constitution |
| 1988 | Poverty in America: A Dream Deferred |
| 1989 | Civil Rights in America: The Struggle and the Dream |
| 1990 | Film in America: Actors and Images |
| 1991 | Higher Education in a Democracy |
| 1992 | The Bill of Rights: 200 Years of Conflict and Compromise |
| 1993 | Reexamining the American Dream |
| 1994 | Redefining the American Community |
| 1995 | The Politics of Technology |
| 1996 | Who Controls the Media? |
| 1997 | Civil Discourse in a Democracy |
| 1998 | Politics and Humor in America |
| 1999 | Creating Reality: Film in America |
| 2000 | Channeling Reality: Television in America |
| 2001 | Growing Up in America |
| 2002 | The Business of Music in America |
| 2003 | Mass Media and Culture in America |
| 2004 | Is the Bill of Rights in Jeopardy? Civil Liberties in the 21st Century |
| 2005 | Politics and Humor |
| 2006 | Defining Values in American Politics |
| 2007 | - No theme - |
| 2008 | Can Laughter Save America? |
| 2009 | How Will America Change? |
| 2010 | Innovation and Ethics: Are There Any Limits? |
| 2011 | The Nation in Transition |
| 2012 | The Nation in Transition |
| 2013 | Innovation |
| 2014 | Innovation |
| 2015 | When American Values Are in Conflict |
| 2016 | When American Values Are in Conflict |