Sophia Rosenfeld: Conspiracies and Common Sense- From Founding to the Trump Era

Sophia Rosenfeld studies the history of civic beliefs—the convictions that ground our political lives. A specialist in European and American intellectual history, particularly Enlightenment thought's legacy in modern democracy, Rosenfeld is best known for Common Sense, an exploration of the history of that concept as a political ideal. Currently studying how “choice” became central to our political lives, Rosenfeld will discuss the powerful modern enigma of our readiness to believe in “conspiracy theories.”

This annual lecture recognizes a generous multiyear contribution to the Chicago Humanities Festival by Julie and Roger Baskes and is presented in partnership with the Wolf Humanities Center at the University of Pennsylvania.