Humanities & Society

People join movements for many reasons. The American Revolution was no different, says Peter Kastor, professor of history. “They all agree on liberty. They disagree on what it means.”

As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing, experts at Washington University in St. Louis are reflecting on the events and ideas that shaped this nation and their continued relevance today.

The right to free speech and judicial independence — two foundational values our nation is built upon — were born of the founders’ distrust of unchecked power, according to Andrew D. Martin, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and an expert in judicial politics.

WashU Libraries host “Unalienable Rights: America at 250,” a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, at 2 p.m. July 2 at Olin Library. The free event features a talk about the Declaration and children’s activities.

Nicole Spangler, a rising senior studying classics and history in WashU Arts & Sciences, received a prestigious Beinecke Scholarship, becoming the first WashU student to win that honor since 2014.

Tazeen Ali, an assistant professor of religion and politics at Washington University in St. Louis, says Thomas Jefferson’s Quran confronts us with the question of what the founders themselves knew they couldn’t avoid: Will the promises of 1776 stop at the edge of our own religion, or will they extend to Muslims and beyond?

The WashU Institute for School Partnership has received a grant to explore how artificial intelligence can enhance the efficiency, reach and quality of instructional coaching while preserving human expertise and teacher agency.