Yuval Levin Joins UT’s Institute of American Civics Board of Fellows
Distinguished Support Further Positions IAC as a Leading National Model for Civic Education
Yuval Levin, a scholar of American institutions, constitutional government and political thought, has joined the prominent Board of Fellows of the Institute of American Civics (IAC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
“Yuval Levin is widely recognized as one of the most thoughtful and astute students of our nation’s politics and history,” said IAC Executive Director Joshua Dunn. “His work combines a deep understanding of the American constitutional tradition with a keen appreciation of what makes institutions work, what causes them to erode, and what citizens must do to sustain constitutional self-government. He is a natural fit for the Institute, and we are fortunate to have his voice and expertise as we grow.”
The appointment follows the launch of the IAC’s first undergraduate degree in Civic and Constitutional Thought. The new major reflects a growing national interest in strengthening civic knowledge and preparing graduates to engage thoughtfully with how American democracy works.
“The importance of the Institute of American Civics is in the name,” Levin said. “It’s focused on teaching Americans how to be Americans, which is an essential mode of education right now. It’s doing it in a distinctly valuable and effective way. It seemed to me that if I could play a part in helping that happen, it was an honor to do it.”
Levin is director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy and is the founder and editor of National Affairs. He is the author of several books, including American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again, and is a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times. Earlier in his career, he served on the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush and as executive director of the President’s Council on Bioethics.
“We’re clearly in a moment that requires us to reflect on the character of our society and our politics,” Levin said. “Getting through this moment will require us to understand what our system is for, what our country is about and what it is to be an American citizen. An American citizen isn’t a natural product. It is a social achievement, and that achievement requires a great deal of education.”
Levin joined Dunn for the first installment of IAC Conversations, a new interview series featuring scholars and public figures engaging with the Institute. Watch IAC Conversations: Yuval Levin.
Strengthening Civic Knowledge Statewide
The Tennessee legislature established the IAC with bipartisan support in 2022. Its faculty teach courses in American political thought, constitutionalism, political philosophy and American political development, and publish scholarship and commentary on civic and constitutional questions.
The IAC also runs outreach programs across Tennessee, including the Tennessee Civics Academy, which provides professional development for K-12 educators, and the Undergraduate Civics Symposium, which brings college students from across the country to Knoxville each year to explore civil discourse.
The IAC Board of Fellows guides the Institute’s academic mission and programming. Its members include Danielle Allen, professor of government at Harvard University; Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University; Robert George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University; Bill Haslam, former governor of Tennessee; Phil Bredesen, former governor of Tennessee; and Board Chair A.B. Culvahouse, former U.S. Ambassador to Australia.