Public Lecture by Patrick J. Deneen, author of Why Liberalism Failed: A Japan–U.S. Dialogue on the Future of Liberalism and Democracy

Where is American society heading today? Amid daily media coverage of U.S. foreign strategy, less attention is often paid to the profound intellectual shifts taking place within American society itself. As economic inequality and social polarization deepen, fundamental questions about the nature of the state and the vision of a desirable society are being reexamined.

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, how is the country changing—and where is it headed? Patrick J. Deneen, Professor at the University of Notre Dame and a leading political theorist who has closely observed these transformations, will discuss the current condition and future prospects of American society.

Deneen’s widely discussed book, Why Liberalism Failed, attracted national attention in the United States and was praised by former President Barack Obama.

Joining him from Japan are Shigeki Uno (Professor, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo) and Hirotsugu Aida (Journalist and Intellectual Historian). Together with Professor Deneen, who will be visiting Japan for the first time, they will explore a question faced by Japan and many other countries today: how to balance the pursuit of individual freedom with the common good of society.

Patrick J. Deneen
Professor, University of Notre Dame (USA)
Patrick J. Deneen is Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. He received his B.A. in English Literature and his Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University. From 1995 to 1997, he served as speechwriter and Special Advisor to the Director of the U.S. Information Agency (USIA). He taught at Princeton University (1997–2005) and Georgetown University (2005–2012) before joining Notre Dame in 2012.

His fields of specialization include the history of political thought, American political thought, liberalism, and conservatism. He is the author and editor of numerous books and articles. His 2018 book Why Liberalism Failed has been translated into more than twenty languages and received acclaim from former President Barack Obama. He has received multiple academic honors, including the APSA Leo Strauss Award.

Shigeki Uno
Professor, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo
Professor and Director of the Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo. He specializes in the history of political thought and political philosophy. He earned his Ph.D. in Law from the University of Tokyo and has held academic positions at Chiba University and the University of Tokyo. He has conducted research abroad at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (France), Cornell Law School, and Freie Universität Berlin. A leading scholar on democracy and Alexis de Tocqueville, he is the author of numerous influential books and has received major awards, including the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities and the Ishibashi Tanzan Award.

Hirotsugu Aida (Moderator)
Journalist/Intellectual Historian
Hirotsugu (Hiro) Aida is a journalist and intellectual historian. After graduating from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Aida joined Kyodo News in 1976. He worked as a Washington correspondent, Geneva bureau chief, Washington bureau chief, and senior writer. Aida held the positions of full professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, visiting professor at Kansai University. He is the author of numerous books, including Why Is Trump Still Supported? (Toyo Keizai Inc.).