James Madison and the Constitution: Ideas That Built a Republic

About the event:

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Jack Rakove examines the intellectual world of James Madison and the forces that shaped the U.S. Constitution. Through clear, accessible storytelling, Rakove reveals how Madison’s ideas on representation, factions, and federalism continue to guide (and challenge) American civic life today. A foundational exploration perfect for audiences seeking deeper constitutional understanding.

Jack Rakove is the William R. Coe Professor of History and American Studies and professor of Political Science and (by courtesy) Law, emeritus, at Stanford University. After completing his Ph.D. in History at Harvard University, Rakove joined the faculty of Colgate University in 1975, then moved to Stanford five years later. He is the author of eight books, including The Beginnings of National Politics: An Interpretive History of the Continental Congress (1979); Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution (1996), which won the Pulitzer Prize in History; and Revolutionaries: A New History of the Invention of America (2010), which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize. He has edited seven other books, including The Cambridge Companion to The Federalist (2020). Rakove is a past president of the Society for the History of the Early American Republic and a member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Colleen Shogan served as the 11th Archivist of the United States, becoming the first woman confirmed by the Senate to lead the National Archives and Records Administration. A political scientist, author, and civic leader, she has held senior roles at the White House Historical Association, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Senate, and is widely recognized for her commitment to expanding public access to history and strengthening civic education. She currently works with More Perfect, Stand Together, and Georgetown University and is the recipient of the American Political Science Association’s Hubert Humphrey Award for outstanding public service.

This program is made possible in part through partnership with The Leach Foundation and InPursuit an Initiative of More Perfect.