About the Freedom Seminar
The Northwood University Freedom Seminar is an annual three and one-half day symposium on the free enterprise system led by distinguished academic and business leaders. The purpose of the Freedom Seminar is to investigate current business and economic topics of utmost interest to the academic and business communities. The theme for this year is "Freedom to Innovate" and the focus is on ethical and public policy issues related to innovation in business, government and civil society. The seminar offers a unique active learning environment in which students will be learning from and interacting with internationally recognized leaders in industry, academia, and government. Students will learn how the precepts of The Northwood Idea are applied to the problems of today.
Dates/Location: The Freedom Seminar begins on Thursday, April 5 at 6pm and concludes on Sunday, April 8 at 5pm. All sessions will be held in the Griswold Lecture Hall on our Midland campus, and meals will be served in the Griswold dining hall.
Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, MI 48640
Directions & Campus Map
Keynote Speaker
Burton Folsom
Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College
“Robber Barons and Empire Builders”
Dr. Burt Folsom is Professor Emeritus of history and a Distinguished Fellow of Hillsdale College. He is also a columnist and the historian-in-residence at the Foundation for Economic Education in Irvington, New York.
Burt has spent his life energized by the belief that freedom and free markets benefit all people. He has published 11 books, some co-authored, and also hundreds of columns and articles in newspapers and journals. His freedom seminar lecture is based on the themes of two of his most well known books: The Myth of the Robber Barons and Empire Builders: How Michigan Entrepreneurs Helped Make America Great. Using historical examples he will explore the difference between political entrepreneurs and market entrepreneurs, and explain how our system of free enterprise and limited government laid the groundwork for the innovations of the great American entrepreneurs.
Dr. Folsom’s appearance at the Freedom Seminar is made possible with the generous support of Young America’s Foundation. YAF is is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values. More information is about the activities of YAF is available at https://www.yaf.org.
Schedule
Thursday, April 5
7:30-9:00 p.m.
"Robber Barons and Empire Builders" - Burton Folsom, Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College
Friday, April 6
8:30-10:15 a.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"How the Cell Phone Changes Everything" - Jared Meyer, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Government Accountability
10:30-12:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Energy Prices, Subsidies, and Innovation" - Christopher Douglas, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Michigan-Flint
1:30-3:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"The Future of the American Dream” - Timothy G. Nash, Northwood University
3:30-5:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Individual Rights, Reproductive Technology, and the Role of Government" - Jaim Huber, John Witherspoon College; Jeffrey Tucker, American Institute for Economic Research; and Andy Bernstein
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"The Impact of Big Data and Internet of Things on Global Business Practices" - Debasish Chakraborty, Central Michigan University
Saturday, April 7
8:30-10:15 a.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Historic and Modern Case Studies in Institutional Innovation" - Daniel J. Smith, Associate Professor of Economics, Troy University
10:30-12:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Rich States, Poor States: How Tax Policy Drives Economic Competitiveness" - Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist and Vice President, Center for State Fiscal Reform, American Legislative Exchange Council
1:30-3:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Entrepreneurs: The Real Superheroes on the Road to Progress" - Alex Tokarev, Associate Professor, Northwood University
3:30-5:15 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Work, Entrepreneurship, Virtue, and Happiness" - Glenn Moots, Professor and Chair, Philosophy, Northwood University
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Griswold Lecture Hall
"Free Market Environmentalism" - Jason Hayes, Director of Environmental Policy, Mackinac Center for Public Policy