Distinguished Lecture Series: Ross Douthat

Ross Douthat, an author and columnist for The New York Times, visits Northwest as a guest of the University’s Distinguished Lecture Series and annual Lemon Lecture. It is free and open to the public.

Douthat's lecture, which will include a question-answer session, is titled “The Decline and Rebirth of the American Empire: Why America is Troubled Right Now But May Be Dominant Again Tomorrow.” 

Douthat joined The New York Times as an opinion columnist in 2009. In addition to his column appearing on Sundays and Tuesdays, he hosts The Times’s weekly podcast, “Matter of Opinion.” Before joining The Times, he was a senior editor and blogger for the Atlantic. He also is the film critic for National Review.

His latest book, “The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery,” was published in 2021. His other books include “The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success” (2020), “To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism” (2018), “Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics” (2012), “Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling Class” (2005), and “Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream” (2008) with co-author Reihan Salam.

The objective of the Distinguished Lecture Series is to enhance the academic environment through individual discipline and interdisciplinary topics. Supported by the Office of the Provost and the Student Activities Council, the series offers the Northwest campus and surrounding communities with opportunities to hear from extraordinary individuals from throughout the globe. Scholars, world travelers and leaders in their fields visit the Northwest campus to share their wisdom, insight and experiences.

Funding support for the Lemon Lecture series is provided through the generosity of Beatrice E. Hanson, who graduated from Northwest in 1936. The program is named in honor of James H. Lemon, her grandfather and a founder of the Fifth District Normal School, which is now Northwest Missouri State University.