Student Scholar Presentation: William Brown '24

A discussion on the theory and practice of forgotten political theorist Friedrich Julius Stahl (1802-1861), founder of the Prussian Conservative Party and an opponent of the Prussian Union. The focus will fall on Stahl's reception of Hegel, his concept of history, and his relation to Schelling’s positive philosophy. Additional attention will be devoted to Stahl’s critique of natural law, defense of legal positivism, theory of ecumenism, sympathy for the Catholic Church, and the reception of his thought among Catholic scholars in the mid-20th century.

William Brown ('24) studies History and German Languages and Literatures at Harvard College. His research focuses on the reception of German Idealism among conservatives in the 19th century, while his interests cover the development of French and German social theory; Marxist state ideologies in China, the Soviet Union, and Korea; and the relationship between intellectuals and regime ideology. He co-founded Salient Publications, Harvard’s only conservative magazine, in 2021, and is a sometime Chairman of the John Adams Society, Harvard’s premier debate society for moral and political philosophy.