Institute to Host Immigration Scholars for Thursday Discussion

November 18, 2024 | News, UToday, Alumni
By Nicki Gorny



The University of Toledo’s Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership will host two prominent scholars of immigration in a moderated discussion on Thursday, Nov. 21.

Dr. Kit Wellman, a professor of philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis, and Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University, will share their views in “Immigration: Open or Closed?”

Side-by-side headshots of Dr. Kit Wellman, a professor of philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis, and Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University, will share their views in “Immigration: Open or Closed?”

Dr. Kit Wellman, left, a professor of philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis, and Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University, will share their views in “Immigration: Open or Closed?”

The free, public event begins at 7 p.m. in the McQuade Law Auditorium.

Event parking is free in Areas 12, 12S and 12W.

“We are excited to bring these two prominent immigration scholars to campus for a moderated discussion,” said Dr. Michael Gonzalez, executive director of UToledo’s Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership. “This event reflects the core of what we are trying to do in the institute: to present the best arguments for differing viewpoints on timely yet enduring topics. In addition to helping us think more deeply about the question of immigration, we hope that the event will also serve as a model for civil discourse among people who disagree on a contested issue.”

The Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership is a multidisciplinary center at UToledo that was created and funded by the Ohio Legislature in 2023. Through teaching, research and public programming, the institute provides a space for diverse voices to discuss and debate key questions about U.S. society, history and politics.

For more information, go to the institute website.