Michael Oakeshott's fusion of liberalism and conservatism makes him an elusive and unsatisfying figure for many on the American Right. This lecture, however, will argue that it's precisely this fusion that makes Oakeshott so relevant for our times and will stress those central elements in his thought--skepticism, contingency, character--that have most to contribute to the evolution of American conservatism today.

Andrew Sullivan is a senior editor at the New Republic. He currently reports on American politics for the Sunday Times of London and is also a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and the editor of andrewsullivan.com. From 1991 to 1996, he served as the editor-in-chief of the New Republic and was the youngest editor in its history. While at the New Republic, Mr. Sullivan made the publication more relevant to readers of his generation and was deeply rewarded for his efforts. He was named "Editor of the Year" by Adweek and received National Magazine Awards for reporting, general excellence, and public interest. Mr. Sullivan is the author of Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality (Knopf 1995), Same Sex Marriage: Pro and Con, A Reader (Vintage Books 1997), and, most recently, Love Undetectable: Notes on Friendship, Sex, and Survival (Knopf 1998). His writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Esquire, Poz, the Public Interest, Interview, the Advocate, the New York Post, the Guardian, the Independent, the Daily Telegraph, Slate, Forbes ASAP, America, and the New York Times Book Review.