‘Free to Move: Foot Voting and Political Freedom’ Topic of Stranahan Lecture Sept. 12

September 9, 2019 | Events, News, UToday, Law
By Lauren Smieszek



Ilya Somin, professor of law at George Mason University, will discuss the importance of free movement within and beyond the United States as part of The University of Toledo College of Law’s Stranahan Lecture series.

His lecture, “Free to Move: Foot Voting and Political Freedom,” will be delivered Thursday, Sept. 12, at noon in the Law Center McQuade Auditorium.

Somin

Most Americans think of ballot box voting as the essence of political freedom. However, Somin will explain how we can best empower ordinary people by expanding opportunities for them to “vote with their feet,” whether it be in the private sector, between jurisdictions in a federal system, or even by moving to a new nation. He believes liberty and happiness can be enhanced by limiting and decentralizing political power, and by reducing barriers to both domestic and international migration.

“This is a timely lecture on immigration, federalism and other related topics like sanctuary cities,” said Lee J. Strang, John W. Stoepler Professor of Law and Values at the College of Law. “Professor Somin will argue that ‘foot voting’ is an underappreciated yet crucially important mechanism to preserve and promote individual liberty.”

A prolific scholar, Somin is the author of a number of books, including “Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter” (Stanford University Press, revised edition, 2016), as well as dozens of scholarly articles and essays in a variety of popular press outlets, including The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He has been quoted or interviewed in Time, CBS, MSNBC and NPR, among other media.

Somin is a graduate of Amherst College, Harvard University and Yale Law School.

This free, public lecture is a part of the Stranahan National Issues Forum and is sponsored by the College of Law and its chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.

Book sales and signing will take place before and after the lecture. Food and drink will be provided.

For more information, visit the College of Law Stranahan Lecture Series website.

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