As part of the Clough Center’s Fall 2024 series on Envisioning Democratic Futures, we are pleased to welcome Anna Grzymała-Busse, an influential scholar in the fields of political science, religion, and state formation, for the Clough Distinguished Lecture on December 5, 2024.
Professor Grzymała-Busse’s talk will take place in Devlin Hall 101 at Boston College and will center on her acclaimed book, Sacred Foundations: The Religious and Medieval Roots of the European State (2023). Grzymała-Busse, the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of International Studies at Stanford University, directs the Europe Center and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute. Her scholarship spans an impressive range, exploring topics such as the historical development of the state, political parties, post-communist politics, and the intersection of religion and politics. Her extensive body of work, which includes books like Redeeming the Communist Past: The Regeneration of Communist Parties in East Central Europe (2002), Rebuilding Leviathan: Party Competition and State Exploitation in Post-Communist Democracies (2007), and Nations Under God: How Churches Use Moral Authority to Influence Policy (2015), has earned her prestigious honors, including Carnegie and Guggenheim Fellowships.
In Sacred Foundations, Grzymała-Busse presents a groundbreaking argument: that the Catholic Church was a pivotal force in shaping the medieval European state. Contrary to conventional accounts that focus on early modern warfare or ruler-subject contracts, Grzymała-Busse’s research highlights how the Church’s competition with monarchs and its innovations in governance laid the groundwork for key political institutions such as courts, taxation systems, and even parliamentary representation. Her book explores the Church’s role in advancing concepts like the rule of law and sovereignty through its conflicts with European rulers and its far-reaching influence over both people and territory.
Join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking discussion about the religious and medieval roots of modern governance, and how these ancient influences continue to shape democratic futures.
Don’t miss Anna Grzymała-Busse’s lecture on December 5, 2024, at Devlin Hall 101!
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