2026 Spring Sczepaniak Lecture
Distinguished historian Andrew Hartman, Professor of History at Illinois State University and author of Karl Marx in America, will present the Spring 2026 Sczepaniak Lecture titled “Culture Wars, Then and Now.”
In “Culture Wars, Then and Now,” Hartman will examine what we call the culture wars, how battles over a range of issues, including how history is taught in public schools, are actually struggles over what it means to be American—struggles that have been a part of American political culture since the 1960s. But in recent years the culture wars have seemed more intense, more violent, more existential than ever. This lecture will cover the culture wars since the 1960s, comparing and contrasting the culture wars of the late twentieth century with our current version. The speaker will offer answers as to why our contemporary culture wars seem worse than ever.
Hartman is widely recognized for his scholarship on American intellectual, cultural, and political history. In addition to Karl Marx in America, he is the author of A War for the Soul of America: A History of the Culture Wars, and his work has appeared in numerous academic journals and public outlets. As a leading interpreter of the political and cultural struggles that have shaped the modern United States, Hartman brings valuable historical perspective to many of today’s most pressing national debates.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
6 p.m.
University Dining Room - Romeoville Campus
All are welcome to attend this free event.
Please register below.
Questions?
Please contact Dr. Dennis Cremin CreminDe@lewisu.edu