Today we’re happy to announce that Dr. Lynn Uzzell will join the Bethel faculty this fall as a full-time, tenure-track professor, teaching courses in American politics/government and political theory!
Most recently a visiting assistant professor of politics at Washington and Lee University, Lynn holds a PhD from the University of Dallas. At Bethel she’ll be teaching American Politics and Government, American Constitutional History, and Modern Political Thought, among other courses.
As she prepares to move from Virginia to Minnesota, Lynn was kind enough to answer a few questions:
Where did you grow up? Will this be your first time living up north?
I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, but I never liked big cities or the southwestern climate. I chose to go to Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, because the setting was the furthest remove from Los Angeles as possible. I loved it, including the winters. For the past 20 years, we’ve lived in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and we’ve loved that. I expect we’ll also love the natural beauty of Minnesota and the cultural opportunities of the Twin Cities.
At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to be a political scientist theorist? How did you know?
It was a circuitous route. I have always been interested in human nature; that’s why I considered majors in literature and psychology. But I also enjoyed debate in high school, so I signed up for speech and debate as an extra-curricular activity in college. There, the debate coach introduced me to classical rhetoric, which, for the ancient Greeks, is an adjunct to ethics and political philosophy. I was hooked. I graduated with a degree in speech communications, and I chose to do graduate work in political philosophy. I realized that for anyone interested in probing the deepest questions of human nature — What do humans seek? What makes them happy? Why do they fail to be happy? — political philosophy is the best starting place.
What brings you to Bethel? What was most appealing to you about the position?
I’ve interviewed at a few colleges and universities, and Bethel was the friendliest. I immediately felt welcomed by the faculty, staff, and students. Although I have been comfortable being an outsider within predominantly secular surroundings, I am looking forward to the greater comfort of living in a predominantly Christian setting.
What do you think is most distinctive about your approach to teaching?
Although almost all colleges and universities claim to teach critical thinking, I find that many classroom experiences fail to fulfill that promise. I’m always looking for ways to get students to learn to question their assumptions. That’s why I incorporate seminar-style discussions, formal debates, and a multiple-stage process when writing essays. Students in my class receive a lot of critical feedback on their writing (which they don’t always appreciate). But getting used to revising and perfecting one’s compositions is indispensable for improving one’s writing and thinking processes.
What’s your principal field of research? Are you working on a project right now?
My areas of expertise are the framing of the U.S. Constitution and the political thought of James Madison. I now have numerous unfinished projects stored on my computer, but the one that is uppermost is an examination of Madison’s understanding of the First Amendment’s guarantee of Free Exercise of Religion. Right now, the scholarship is split on the question of whether or not Madison believed that this right required religious exemptions from generally applicable laws. (For instance, whether Roman Catholic employers should receive waivers that exempt them from paying for contraception coverage in the mandated health insurance plans they provide, since doing so would violate their conscience). I’m building a case that Madison, who more than any other Founder was responsible for instituting religious freedom in American, believed that religious exemptions were sometimes necessary, even for laws that are otherwise legitimate and generally applicable.
Finally, how do you like to spend your time away from work?
I love walking and hiking. In Virginia, we lived close to the Appalachian Trail. I’m looking forward to exploring the parks and nature trails in this state!
You can learn even more about Lynn by reading her new faculty profile at this blog.
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