Catholic Social and Political Thought Initiative

The Catholic Social & Political Thought initiative invites students to investigate Catholicism’s rich intellectual and cultural heritage. From art and architecture to poetry and literature, from food and environmentalism to economic and political thought, the CSPT initiative continues the UW’s ecumenic and public spirit by promoting the teaching, research, and critical investigation of the Catholic tradition by engaging a diverse audience, both secular and religious.

The theme for Spring 2026 programming is Order & Influence: The Role of Catholic Religious Orders and Lay Associations in Civic Life. Throughout the semester, lectures, cultural excursions, and workshops will be offered to explore the rich and complex history of religious orders and their role in the development of social and political change across time and place.

Ongoing Events

CSPT Reading Groups

CSPT Main Reading Group: The Word in Verse

All members of the UW-Madison community are invited to the Spring 2026 CSPT reading group, the Word in Verse, which will meet

from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in Room 7200 of the UW Law School (975 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706) every other Tuesday from 2/3-4/28.

The Word in Verse will explore poetry in the Catholic tradition through the centuries. Free copies of the text will be distributed at the first meeting (and will be available thereafter).  Refreshments provided. Participants are welcome to drop-in any time during the semester.

CSPT Reading group topics change each semester. Past topics have included readings by Jacques Maritain, C.S. Lewis, Augustine of Hippo, Catholic short stories, and a study of social encyclicals.

*NEW* CSS Reading Group: The Soul of DNA

Undergraduates are invited to join the *new* S.T.E.M.-focused Catholic Saints & Scientists Reading Group, which will meet from 5:45-7:15 p.m. in Room 5223 of the UW Law School (975 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706) every other Tuesday from 1/20-4/14.

This semester the group will be reading The Soul of DNA, the biography of a Dominican sister who contributed to modern understandings of the structure of DNA. The last session will include a visit with the book’s author. Free copies of the text will be distributed at the first meeting (and will be available thereafter).  Dinner provided.

Classes

Spring 2026

Law 910/Legal Studies 600: Catholic Legal Thought (Klingele)

Spring 2025

ILS 373: The Social Encyclicals (Klingele)

Religious Studies 253: Of Demons and Angels: Dante’s Divine Comedy (Livorni)

Spring 2024

ILS 372: The Social Encyclicals (Profs. Cecelia Klingele & Richard Avramenko)

Spring 2023

PS 460: Latin American Political Thought (Prof. Eduardo Schmidt Passos)

IT 440: Poverty, Ecology, and the Arts: St. Francis of Assisi (Prof. Ernesto Livorni)

Fall 2022

PS 460: Christian Political Thought (Prof. John Boersma)

PS 460: Latin American Political Thought (Prof. Eduardo Schmidt Passos)

ILS 205: Western Culture: Political, Economic, and Social Thought I (Prof. Philip Bunn)

ILS 200: Critical Thinking and Expression

Spring 2022
Political Science 460/831: Aristotle and Aquinas (Prof. John Boersma)

ILS 200: Critical Thinking & Expression: Arguments in Political Rhetoric (Prof. Kirstin Anderson Birkhaug)

ILS 206—Western Culture: Political, Economic, and Social Thought II (Prof. Richard Avramenko)

PS 343—Defending Democracy: The Theory and Practice of U.S. National Security in a Complex World (Prof. Scott Mobley)

PS 363, Literature and Politics (Prof. Philip Bunn)

PS 460—Christian Political Thought (Prof. Eduardo Schmidt Passos)

PS 460/ILS371/PS839: Virtue Theory (Prof. Richard Avramenko)

Fall 2021
Political Science 400: Christian Social and Political Thought (Prof. John Boersma)

Integrated Liberal Studies 205: History of Western Political, Social, and Economic Thought (Prof. Richard Avramenko)

PS 400: Latin American Political Thought (Prof. Eduardo Passos)

PS 338: The Civil-Military Paradox in U.S. Politics and Society (Prof. Scott Mobley)

PS363: Literature and Politics (Prof. Philip Bunn)

PS 460: Conservative Political Thought (Prof. Philip Bunn)

PS 470: The First Amendment (Prof. John Boersma)

PS 839: Methods of Political Theory (Prof. Richard Avramenko)

ILS 372—Latin American Political Thought (Prof. Eduardo Schmidt Passos)

Fellows Program

As part of the Catholic Social & Political Thought Initiative, the CSLD supports a Student Fellows Program. This program offers a unique opportunity for students to pursue academic interests related to knowledge and appreciation of Catholic heritage, including the exploration of Catholic social and political thought, history, religion, architecture, art, music, and literature. The program will allow students to conjoin their UW-Madison academic experience and career paths with Catholicism’s rich intellectual, moral and cultural heritage. Each year we select up to twelve CSPT Fellows to participate in the program, which may  include conferences, Catholic cultural encounter trips, academic seminars, debates, reading groups, research opportunities, public lectures, and service opportunities. Apply here.

Past Events

Catholic Perspectives on Criminal Justice Reform: A Scholarly Colloquium

February 10-12, 2021
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Conference organized by Professor Cecelia Klingele, University of Wisconsin Law School

On the Occasion of the 899th Anniversary of the Concordat of Worms: “Who Belongs to Whom? Lessons Learned from September 23, 1122”

September 23, 2021; Wisconsin Historical Society

Professor Russell Hittinger