David Thunder

 


                                                           

Department of Political Science                     

217 O’Shaughnessy Hall,                               

University of Notre Dame                              

Notre Dame, IN 46656                                   

 

Education

 

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

Aug 2000 - present                                                           

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Notre Dame: first field political theory, second field American politics.

 

Dissertation (in progress): “Beyond Rawlsian Public Reason: In Search of a Normative Conception of Public Discourse that Reconciles Political Stability and Justice with Personal Integrity.”

 

Research Interests: Contemporary and classical liberalism, 20th century legal and democratic theory, natural law theory, virtue ethics, religion and politics.

 

University College Dublin, Ireland

Sep 1997 – Aug 1998

Masters degree in Philosophy by Examination and Thesis: 1st Class Honors.

 

Sep 1994 – Aug 1997

Bachelor of Arts in French and Philosophy: 1st Class Honors in French, 2nd Class Honors, 1st Grade in Philosophy.

 

Awards / Scholarships

 

1995:   First Year University Scholarship for French and Spanish.

1996:   Second Year University Scholarship for French.

1996:   Second Year Patrick Semple Distinguished Student Award.

1997:   University Scholarship in recognition of B.A. performance.

1998:   Awarded grant from the Archbishop Desmond Connell Fund for the Study of St. Thomas Aquinas.

2003:   Phillip Moore Dissertation Fellowship, 2003-2004.

 

Papers and Publications

 

“Back to Basics: Twelve Rules of Thumb for Writing a Publishable Article.” Currently under peer review for PS.

 

“An Argument Against Rawlsian Public Reason from Agent Integrity.” Presented at the Inaugural Association for Political Theory Conference at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. October 17-18, 2003.

 

“Reassessing the Role of Religious Belief in Democratic Deliberation: Shifting the Spotlight from Belief Content to Moral Disposition.” Presented at the Sixth European Seminar of Philosophical Studies, ‘Ethics Without God?’ at the Jacques Maritain Center, University of Notre Dame. July 18, 2003.

 

“Beyond ‘Soft’ Proceduralism: In Search of an Objective Normative Foundation for Liberal Democracy.” Presented at Mid-West Political Science Association Conference at Hilton Hotel, Chicago. April 4, 2003.

 

Translated God and the Natural Law from Italian into English for Prof. Fulvio Di Blasi, a visiting Professor in the Jacques Maritain Center, University of Notre Dame. Forthcoming, St. Augustine Press, Spring 2004

 

“Religion and Liberalism: Permanent Enemies or Potential Allies?” Presented at Fourth European Seminar of Philosophical Studies in Rome, Italy. September 11, 2001.

 

“Is metaphysics an essential buttress or a dispensable luxury for a theory of human rights?” Presented at the Postgraduate Colloquium 2000, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. April 1 2000. Published in Irish Philosophical Society, Fall 2001.

               

 

Professional Experience

 

Sep ‘02 – Sep ‘03       Internal Reader for Review of Politics, 4th Floor, Flanner Hall,

                                                University of Notre Dame.

 

Spring 2002                Teaching Assistant for Prof. Joshua Kaplan, Introduction to Political Theory.

 

Fall 2001                     Teaching Assistant for Prof. Rodney Hero, Introduction to American Government.

 

Spring 2001                Research Assistant for Prof. Mary Keys, in connection with her forthcoming book, Virtue, Law and the Common Good: The Relevance of Thomas Aquinas.

 

Dec ‘99 – Aug 2000   Office Administrator for Lismullin Educational Foundation, 44 Westland Row, Dublin 2, Ireland, a Christian non-profit educational association.

 

Oct ‘99 – Nov ‘99      Sub-Editor for national online exam guide, Pre-University Center, 23 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

 

Aug ‘98 – Aug ‘99:    Course Administrator for Rockbrook International Language and Cultural Programmes, Rockbrook House, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.

 

 

Other Skills

 

Touch typist (60 wpm); proficient in word processing, spreadsheets, database, e-mail and web browsers; fluent Spanish, French, and Italian; basic knowledge of Latin.

 

 

Referees

 

Prof. Michael P. Zuckert,                            

Nancy Drew Professor of Political Theory,   

Department of Political Science,

University of Notre Dame,

Notre Dame, IN 46656.

Tel. 574-631-8050.

 

Prof. Walter J. Nicgorski,                                        

Editor-in-Chief,                                                          

Review of Politics                                                      

4th Floor, Flanner Hall,                                              

University of Notre Dame,                                         

Notre Dame, IN 46656.

Tel. 574-631-6623                                                     

 

Prof. Philip L. Quinn,

Senior Professor,

Department of Philosophy,

University of Notre Dame,

Notre Dame, IN 46656.

Tel. 574-631-7372.