Valor Institute Events
The Modern Pursuit of Happiness: Public Lecture by Dr. Raúl Rodríguez
The Modern Pursuit of Happiness: Public Lecture by Dr. Raúl Rodríguez
The Declaration of Independence states that all people are endowed with the right to pursue happiness. But what might this mean? In a world filled with so many different conceptions of the good life, along with an equal and diverse number of ways to pursue those conceptions, how can we possibly discover a sure path to happiness?
Reflecting on Montaigne's proposal with Dr. Rodríguez, we will think more attentively about the happiness each of us pursues daily. In great decisions or mundane choices, each of us acts in accordance with a vision of the good. By looking more closely at our characters, we can begin to realize the good life to which each person is uniquely called.
All Valor Institute public lectures are ticketed events. You can reserve a free ticket at the link below.
About the Speaker
Dr. Raúl Rodríguez is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University and Director of the LeFrak Forum. He received his B.A. from Furman University and his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Before arriving at Michigan State, he served as a Postdoctoral Teaching Scholar at the Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government at Notre Dame as well as a Senior Fellow at the Civitas Institute and an Assistant Professor in the School of Civic Leadership at UT Austin.
Dr. Rodríguez's research and teaching focus on French and American political philosophy, with particular interest in Alexis de Tocqueville, liberalism, democracy, and the broader history of political philosophy. His writings have appeared in scholarly journals such as American Journal of Political Science, American Political Thought, The Political Science Reviewer, and The Review of Politics.
He is also the author of the forthcoming book "Redeeming Democracy: Tocqueville’s New Liberalism," which argues that Tocqueville offers a distinctive and enduring vision of liberal democracy capable of addressing many of the contemporary critiques of liberalism. Through his scholarship and leadership of the LeFrak Forum, Dr. Rodríguez seeks to cultivate serious intellectual inquiry into the moral and philosophical foundations of free government.
Social Media and the Vice of Acedia: Public Lecture by Dr. Kevin Gary
Social Media and the Vice of Acedia: Public Lecture by Dr. Kevin Gary
Join Valor faculty and families for our the Valor Institute’s first public lecture of the 2026–2027 school year, featuring Dr. Kevin Gary of Hillsdale College, who will speak on “Social Media and the Vice of Acedia” at Valor South Austin's Library.
What exactly is acedia? How does social media intensify this obscure yet deadly vice? Dr. Gary will explore how modern media technology creates an artificial culture of apathy and cast its users adrift. Through awareness of these tendencies, we can turn our attention to those activities and relationships that inspire and encourage us toward greater communion and love.
All Valor Institute public lectures are ticketed events. You can reserve a free ticket at the link below.
About the Speaker
Dr. Kevin Gary is an associate professor in the Education Department at Hillsdale College. He taught theology at Loyola Academy High School in Wilmette, Illinois, for ten years; education and philosophy at Goshen College for eight years; and education, theology, and the humanities at Valparaiso University for ten years. While at Goshen, Kevin and his wife Heather directed Goshen College’s international studies program in Lima, Peru, for three semesters.
Dr. Gary’s research is primarily in philosophy of education. He recently published Why Boredom Matters: Education, Leisure, and the Quest for a Meaningful Life with Cambridge University Press in 2022. Drawing on multiple disciplines, Dr. Gary makes a case for teachers guiding students to engage with boredom constructively, steering clear of restless boredom avoidance on the one hand, or passive submission to boredom on the other.
Dr. Gary has published in multiple journals, including Educational Theory, Journal of Philosophy of Education, and Studies in Philosophy and Education.