This year’s distinguished speaker was Professor Kim Lane Scheppele, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University.

Professor Scheppele, a renowned expert on the sociology of law and the global rise of authoritarianism, delivered a powerful lecture examining how courts around the world have been used, and misused, as tools of power. Her insights shed light not only on the role of the U.S. Supreme Court today, but also on the broader questions of constitutional resilience, democratic norms, and the rule of law.

The Robert H. Jackson Lecture has become a hallmark summer tradition at Chautauqua, bringing leading scholars and jurists to engage with timely questions about law, democracy, and justice. In keeping with Justice Jackson’s enduring legacy, the lecture series invites audiences to reflect on the ways courts shape civic life and protect, or threaten, our most fundamental freedoms.

We are grateful to Professor Scheppele for sharing her expertise and perspective, and to the Chautauqua community for its enthusiastic participation in this year’s program.

You can watch the full lecture below.