Center for the Philosophy of Freedom

America's 250th Birthday
2026-07-04
Join the yearlong celebration of America’s 250th birthday! Beginning on July 4, 2025, and continuing through July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate 250 years of independence, innovation, and democratic ideals with a wide range of national and local events.

The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. Learn more and explore how you can take part at America250.org.
The Center for the Philosophy of Freedom will also celebrate! Learn more about how you can celebrate with us.

FC Talks: Blitz
2026-09-03 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Boise) | Social Sciences 224, 1145 E South Campus Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States
Join us for a unique opportunity to hear from Freedom Center research and faculty members. This event will take place in Social Sciences Building 224 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM on Sept. 3rd, 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and participate in a stimulating discussion! Can’t make it in person?
Join the talk online!
Speaker Lineup
We are pleased to welcome the following Freedom Center faculty speakers for a Blitz-style presentation of their research.
To Be Announced

Visiting Fellow: Kit Wellman
2026-10-05 - 2026-10-09
The Freedom Center is excited to welcome Dr. Kit Wellman as a visiting fellow during Fall 2026. Visit Date: October 5 – October 9, 2026
Kit Wellman is a Professor of Philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis. He works in ethics, specializing in political and legal philosophy. He serves as chair of the education department and is dean of academic planning for Arts & Sciences.

Visiting Fellow: Laura Razzolini
2026-10-12 - 2026-10-16
The Freedom Center is excited to welcome Dr. Laura Razzolini as a visiting fellow during Fall 2026. Visit Date: Oct. 12 – 16, 2026
Laura Razzolini is Professor of Economics and Department Head at the University of Alabama. Her research specializes in public and behavioral economics. She conducts economic experiments in a laboratory setting to test predictions of the theoretical models. Her work on altruism, fundraising and cost sharing mechanisms, traffic congestions and terrorism has been funded by the National Science Foundation. Her research has been published in the Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of Public Economics, Economic Theory, Public Choice, and Experimental Economics. For 16 years she served as Editor in chief of the Southern Economic Journal. She currently serve as Vice President of the Southern Economic Association and on the Executive Committee of the Economic Science Association.

Visiting Fellow: Jennifer Pate
2026-10-12 - 2026-10-16
The Freedom Center is excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Pate as a visiting fellow during Fall 2026. Visit Date: Oct. 12 – 16, 2026
Jennifer Pate is a Professor of Economics at Loyola Marymount University. She is also currently serving as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Programs for Liberal Arts. Her areas of specialization are Industrial Organization, Experimental and Behavioral Economics, Applied Microeconomics, Public Economics, and the Economics of Giving.

Visiting Fellow: David Sobel
2026-11-08 - 2026-12-20
The Freedom Center is excited to welcome David Sobel as a visiting fellow during Fall 2026.
David Sobel is best known for his extensive research on well-being, and more specifically the connection between what a person values and her well-being. Are options good for us simply because we favor them, or must the options have their own value, independently of our favoring them, if they are to benefit us? Could we make some entirely pointless option, such as counting blades of grass, good for us just by liking it? If we say no, how can we explain why what we favor in matters of mere taste, such as one type of soda rather than another, is better for us when there seems nothing about either option, independently of our attitudes, that merits preferring one to the other? Sobel’s current work explores such questions.

Visiting Fellow: Janice Dowell
2026-11-08 - 2026-12-20
The Freedom Center is excited to welcome Janice Dowell as a visiting fellow during Fall 2026.

Janice Dowell is a professor of philosophy at Syracuse University, College of Arts & Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Philosophy and International Studies from Johns Hopkins University, where she completed departmental honors in philosophy. Before joining Syracuse University’s College of Arts & Sciences, Dowell taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Bowling Green State University.

Visiting Fellow: Utteeyo Dasgupta
2027-03-14 08:00 - 2027-03-29 17:00
