December 21-22, 2019: What’s Next for We the People

[Since I’ve been on sabbatical this Fall, in place of my usual semester recaps series I’ve spent the week recapping some of the many book talks I’ve gotten to deliver over the last few months. Leading up to this special weekend post on what’s next for We the People!]

I’ve proposed my next book project, on competing visions of patriotism (celebratory vs. critical in particular) for the same wonderful Rowman & Littlefield American Ways series that published We the People. But I very much hope to carry We the People with me into 2020 as well. Here are a few of the ways I plan to do so:

1)      More Talks: I’ve already got a handful of book talks scheduled for 2020, including spaces I’ve had the chance to talk before (like the Gardner Museum) and ones I’m excited to add to the list (like the Massachusetts Historical Society). As we move closer to the 2020 election, it feels clear to me that the book’s histories and stories, ideas and questions will only become more relevant to our conversations, debates, and choices. So as I’ve said many times before, but will keep repeating, I am open to the possibility of any talk, in any type of setting, and anywhere in the country (and I generally try to travel at my own expense if possible, and at the very least would say that money or budget should never keep anyone from raising an idea!). Please let me know if you have ideas or contacts for other talks!

2)      Podcasts: Talking in person is far from the only way to share a book in the 21^st century, of course, and I’m actively seeking podcasts as one exciting alternative space for those conversations. It looks definite that I’ll be able to chat with Ali Noorani on his wonderful “Only in America” podcast, and I’ll share more details about that here as I get them. I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to chat with Keri Leigh Merritt for her amazing “Merritocracy” podcast/YouTube channel, and ditto. But I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t yet know the podcast landscape nearly as well as I should, and so I’d really love ideas and suggestions for other podcasts (or YouTube channels, or web conversations and communities of other types) for which this book might be a good fit.

3)      Other Opportunities: Two of the more exciting opportunities on We the People’s horizon both came at me in unexpected and unique ways. A Twitter colleague recommended me for the King’s College Constitution Day lecture, and I’m very excited that I’ll get to talk about exclusion, inclusion, and the Constitution there in September 2020. As I mentioned in Friday’s post, at my Boston Athenaeum talk I might Alison Bassett from the Trustees of Reservations, and it looks like I’ll be able to collaborate with them on their year-long project focused on definitions of American identity. Both of those opportunities reflect a couple things, I’d say: the ways in which this book extends to many different conversations, communities, and corners of American society; and the need to keep an open mind about finding and connecting with those possibilities. I certainly plan to do so, but would also ask y’all, if you’d be so kind, to keep We the People in mind for events, programs, projects, or opportunities that you might know or learn about. Thanks in advance!

Holiday series starts Monday,

Ben

PS. Ideas for other places I could talk or write about We the People? Lemme know, and thanks!