Brian Alexander, associate professor of politics at Washington and Lee University, held a conference entitled “The Congress of Thomas Jefferson: a story on books” May 3 at Rare capital Book Fair Held at the University Club in Washington, DC
Alexander’s speech was used to discuss Thomas Jefferson’s book “A Manual of Parliamentary Practice” and previewed the next second edition of Alexander of the Book, planned to be published by Arcadia Press in August. Alexander provided history and modern ideas on Jefferson’s original edition, the first American book writes on the rules of the congress. His discussion explored why Jefferson wrote the book and what we can learn today.
“The dignity of the congress – the capacity of a representative legislative body to fulfill its duty – requires that there are rules of order. American democracy is as strong as the rules of the institutions that govern it. Jefferson knew it, and that is why he wrote the manual of parliamentary practice, “said Alexander during his conversation. “My new edition of Jefferson’s manual reflects Jefferson’s last word on the subject and his deep commitment to the strength of the congress.”
A member of the W&L Faculty since 2017, Alexander has been an expert in congress legislative standards, parliamentary procedures and interest groups. He is the author of a book entitled “A social theory of Congress: legislative standards in the 21st century” in 2021 and finished a scholarship at the International Center for Jefferson Studies de Monticello, where he worked with the original edition of Jefferson to “a manual of parliamentary practice”. Alexander directs W & L Washington Term every year, an experiential learning program offered to Washington students, DC, during the spring quarter.
Alexander holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies at the University of Miami (Ohio), a master’s degree in international relations at the University of Cincinnati and a doctorate. In the United States government and international relations at George Mason University.
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