Author and columnist David Brooks has accepted a five-year appointment as a Presidential Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs starting on Feb. 1.
He will come to campus as part of the new Presidential Senior Fellowship program. Started by Yale President Maurie McInnis, the initiative will bring to campus experts to foster respectful debate and bridge the academy with society at large. To help address rising public skepticism of higher education, the program aims to expand access to the transformative work of universities.
"One of the hallmarks of David's career has been his ability to gather ideas from a broad swath of disciplines to enable people to grapple with the complexities of politics and society," said McInnis. "I look forward to seeing how he'll do the same for Yale's groundbreaking scholarship, connecting the dots between our work on campus and the knowledge and innovation that we're spurring around the globe."
During the spring semester, Brooks will host a number of events, including lectures and conversations with leaders who offer a broad range of perspectives. He will also develop programming to increase public engagement with the liberal arts, as through free online offerings.
That will include a new weekly video podcast from The Atlantic, hosted by Brooks and made possible by support from Yale. The Atlantic's podcast will feature academics and other experts with varying points of view on the fundamental questions of the humanist tradition, from the meaning of life to the nature of democracy.
"At Yale Jackson, we prepare students for public service and civic life not only through the theory and practice of global affairs, but also by teaching them how to engage seriously with ideas that differ from their own," said James Levinsohn, Charles W. Goodyear Professor of Global Affairs and dean of Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. "Deepening Yale's connection to the wider world is central to that work. And having access to David and his insightful analysis of questions of character will be an invaluable resource for our students."
Brooks is a staff writer at The Atlantic, and a regular contributor to PBS NewsHour. He worked as an opinion columnist at The New York Times for 22 years and has written for The Wall Street Journal, in addition to authoring books on topics ranging from neuroscience to ethics.
"The current crisis that our society faces is not just about politics but about purpose - our sense of national purpose and how that relates to the purpose we find in our own lives," said National Humanities Medal-winning writer Walter Isaacson. "David Brooks, who has spent his career exploring the intersection of the humanities and politics, is the perfect person to lead this needed national conversation."
Oona Hathaway, the Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law at Yale Law School, added: "David Brooks has demonstrated throughout his career his ability to engage in conversation across political and ideological divides. At a moment when the world is increasingly polarized, these conversations are more important than ever. I am also excited to see him help scholars and experts at Yale reach new audiences."
A graduate of the University of Chicago, Brooks served as a Senior Fellow at Jackson from 2012 to 2018, and again from 2021 to 2022. In that role, he taught a class on humility, which formed the basis for his 2015 New York Times bestselling book, "The Road to Character." He has also made regular informal trips to campus and engaged students in discussion, with his most recent visit taking place this past November.
"America is in a state of political, cultural, and moral crisis," said Brooks. "I believe there are great teachers at universities and organizations all across America who have the wisdom, insights, and learning to point us toward a brighter future. I'm excited about learning from them, hosting conversations with them, and bringing their work to a larger public."
