On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the progressive view of government before introducing Ronald J. Pestritto. 

The United States Constitution was designed to secure the natural rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. Signed by Constitutional Convention delegates on September 17, 1787—Constitution Day—it was ratified by the American people and remains the most enduring and successful constitution in history. 

In this twelve-lecture course, students will examine the political theory of the American Founding and subsequent challenges to that theory throughout American history. Topics covered in this course include: the natural rights theory of the Founding, the meaning of the Declaration and the Constitution, the crisis of the Civil War, the Progressive rejection of the Founding, and the nature and form of modern liberalism.

Progressives rejected the timeless principles of the American Founding and instead argued that the ends of government ought to be relative to historical circumstances. They viewed the Constitution as a “living” document, which could be transformed to meet the exigencies of the modern age.

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In this episode of The Larry Arnn Show, Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn interviews Charles R. Kesler, editor of the Claremont Review of Books and professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. The two discuss what we can learn from Cicero, the life and work of William F. Buckley Jr., and what the Trump presidency means for the future of the United States of America.

This interview was conducted on February 2nd, 2026.

Discover more at podcast.hillsdale.edu.

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Khalil Habib, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues to conclude a series on the politics of Shakespeare's historical plays.

Release date: 02 March 2026

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Sonja Bindus, teacher support lead for Hillsdale College K-12 Education, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss teaching students how to appreciate art, learning from the artistic masters, and how to help students develop artistic skills.

Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/

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Guests: John Bachman & Nathan Herring

Host Scot Bertram talks with John Bachman, host of John Bachman Now on Newsmax, about Ronald Reagan's successful invasion of Grenada and his new book Turning Point: How Reagan Liberated Grenada and Won the Cold War. And Nathan Herring, assistant professor of physics at Hillsdale College, discusses the life and accomplishments of physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

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January 2026 | Volume 55, Issue 1

Learning From Minnesota’s Somali Fraud Scandal
Scott W. Johnson
Powerline

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On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss executive authority and secession before introducing Kevin Portteus. 

The United States Constitution was designed to secure the natural rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. Signed by Constitutional Convention delegates on September 17, 1787—Constitution Day—it was ratified by the American people and remains the most enduring and successful constitution in history. 

In this twelve-lecture course, students will examine the political theory of the American Founding and subsequent challenges to that theory throughout American history. Topics covered in this course include: the natural rights theory of the Founding, the meaning of the Declaration and the Constitution, the crisis of the Civil War, the Progressive rejection of the Founding, and the nature and form of modern liberalism.

The South’s justification for secession was based on an erroneous reading of the Constitution. Whereas the South claimed a legal right to secede, Lincoln opposed what he called an illegal insurrection and sought to secure a “new birth of freedom” in America.

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Khalil Habib, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues to start a new series on the politics of Shakespeare's historical plays.

Release date: 20 February 2026

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Joshua Villarreal, teacher support lead at Hillsdale College's K-12 Education Office, joins host Scot Bertram to discuss the classical themes in the film Die Hard, the importance of education in forming character, and the differences between classical and progressive methods of education.

Learn more: https://k12.hillsdale.edu/

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Guests: Ronald J. Pestritto & Daniel Darling

Host Scot Bertram talks with Ronald J. Pestritto, dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship and Charles and Lucia Shipley Chair in the American Constitution at Hillsdale College, about the rise of the administrative state and his recent provocation Government by the Unelected: How it Happened, and How It Might Be Tamed. And Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and fellow at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, discusses the Christian obligation to patriotism and his new book In Defense of Christian Patriotism.

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