Teaching Experience
Associate Professor of Politics at Washington
and Lee University.
Teach courses in American National Government,
Political Philosophy, and Black American Politics.
Pre-law advisor.
July 1999-present
Assistant Professor of Political Science and
History and Pre-Law Advisor at John Brown University.
Taught courses in American Government,
American Studies, Constitutional Law, and Political Thought.
Helped students prepare for the LSAT and apply
to law school.
August 1994-June 1999
Adjunct Professor of Political Science
at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Taught Constitutional Law I and II. Summer
Terms, 1995-1998
Lecturer of Political Science at Azusa
Pacific University.
Taught American Government and seminars on the
Federalist
and
Abraham Lincoln’s political thought.
September 1993-Dec. 1993 and September 1990-May
1992
Teaching Assistant at
Harvey Mudd College.
Helped teach "What is Political Power?" a Freshman
course in American politics and political theory by directing class discussions,
lecturing, reviewing weekly tutorial papers, and evaluating term papers.
January-May
1989
Education
Ph.D. in Political Science,
The Claremont
Graduate School (January 1994).
Dissertation: "The Role of Religion in Abraham
Lincoln’s Statesmanship."
Major concentrations: American Government, Political
Theory, and Constitutional Law.
M.A. in Politics, The Claremont Graduate
School (May 1991).
President, Claremont Colleges Chapter of the
National Political Science Honor Society (Pi Sigma Alpha).
B.A. cum laude in Government,
Claremont
McKenna College (May 1987).
Government Department Prize; Distinguished Scholar;
Honors Thesis; Dean’s List.
Publications
Books
Ralph Ellison and the Raft of Hope: A Political Companion to Invisible Man (University Press of Kentucky, 2004)
Lincoln’s Sacred Effort: Defining Religion’s Role in American Self-Government (Lexington Books, 2000)
American Virtues, Values & Triumphs, contributing editor (Publications International, 1996)
Work in Progress
Book: "Ralph Ellison's American Democratic Individualism"
Chapters
"Lincoln’s Political Religion and Religious Politics," in Religion and the American Presidency, ed. Mark Rozell (completed; forthcoming)
"Lincoln and the Challenge of American Republicanism," in Lincoln and Democracy in America, ed. Steven Kautz (completed; forthcoming)
"Charnwood's Lincoln: Biography as Civics Lesson," in Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (completed; forthcoming)
"Locke, Lincoln, and American Capitalism," in Champions of Freedom: The Ludwig von Mises Lecture Series, vol. 31, Economic Theories and Controversies, ed. Richard M. Ebeling (Hillsdale: Hillsdale College Press, 2004)
"Malcolm X" in History of American Political Thought, eds. Bryan-Paul Frost and Jeffrey Sikkenga (Lexington Books, 2003)
"America’s First Black President? Lincoln’s Legacy of Political Transcendence" in Lincoln and the Presidency, ed. Charles Hubbard (Mercer University Press, 2003)
"When Professional Excellence Undermines Moral Leadership: Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day" in A Good Man is Hard to Find: Essays on Literature and Leadership, ed. Henry T. Edmondson and Pat Dobel (under revision)
Articles/Essays
"Charnwood's Lincoln: Biography as Civics Lesson," in Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (completed; forthcoming)
"Bound for Glory: The Gospel of Racial Reconciliation in Flannery O'Connor's 'The Artificial Nigger'" (completed; forthcoming)
"Forced into Gory Lincoln Revisionism," in Lincoln's American Dream: Clashing Political Perspectives, eds. Kenneth L. Deutsch and Joseph Fornieri (Potomac Books, 2005)
"The Prayers of a Self-Governing People: A Psalm for Election Day" in Books & Culture: A Christian Review on-line essay (November 1, 2004)
"The Diversity of American Individualism: Doing Justice to Human Equality and Liberty," in "Affirmative Action Symposium," Southern Illinois University Law Journal 28 (Spring 2004)
"Abraham Lincoln" and "James Madison" entries, in Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 4th ed., Vol. 5, "L-M" (2003)
"Equality, Liberty, and American Diversity," in On Principle (Spring 2003)
"Should Christians Say 'Amen' to Religious Politics?" Religion & Liberty (November/December 2001)
"America's Racial Divide: Of Debts Spoken and
Unspoken," On Principle (June 2001)
< http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v9n3/morel.html
>
"Scalia Contra Common Law Adjudication," Perspectives on Political Science (Winter 1999)
"Lincoln Among the Reformers: Tempering the Temperance Movement," Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association (Winter 1999)
"Should America Be Blind to Race?" On Principle
(August 1998)
< www.ashbrook.org/publicat/onprin/v6n4/morel.html
>
Book Reviews
“We Are Lincoln Men”: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends, David Herbert Donald, in The Historian (completed; forthcoming)
The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln, C.A. Tripp, in The Claremont Review of Books (forthcoming, Summer 2005)
Lincoln’s Moral Vision: The Second Inaugural Address, James Tackach, Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural, Ronald C. White, Jr., and Lincoln, Religion, and Romantic Cultural Politics, Stewart Winger, in The Claremont Review of Books-Online (February 2005)
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America, Allen C. Guelzo, and “We Are Lincoln Men”: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends, David Herbert Donald, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (May/June 2004)
< http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2004/003/19.30.html >
Return to Good and Evil: Flannery O’Connor’s Response to Nihilism, Henry T. Edmondson III, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review on-line “Book of the Week” (January 12, 2004)
On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding, Michael Novak, in Religion & Liberty (July/August 2002)
Jazz Country: Ralph Ellison in America, Horace A. Porter, and Living with Music: Ralph Ellison’s Jazz Writings, Robert G. O’Meally, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (May/June 2002)
< http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2002/003/5.9.html >
Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America, John H. McWhorter, in Society (February 2002)
A Free Church, A Holy Nation: Abraham Kuyper’s American Public Theology, John Bolt, in Religion & Liberty (July/August 2001)
< http://www.acton.org/publicat/randl/01jul_aug/essay.html >
Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White
Dream, Lerone Bennett, Jr., The Claremont Review of Books (Fall
2000)
< www.claremont.org/publications/morel000901.cfm
>
Abraham Lincoln: A Constitutional Biography, George Anastaplo, Lincoln of Kentucky, Lowell H. Harrison, and Inside the White House in War Times: Memoirs and Reports of Lincoln's Secretary, William O. Stoddard, in Journal of Southern History (November 2001)
Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President, Allen
Guelzo, in
Religion & Liberty (July/August 2000)
< www.acton.org/publicat/randl/00jul_aug/essay.html
>
The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
ed. Clayborne Carson, Dreamer: A Novel, Charles Johnson, The
Shape of the River: Long-Term Consequences of Considering Race in College
and University Admissions, William G. Bowen and Derek Bok, A Dream
Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom, Shelby Steele, and
A
Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy
League, Ron Suskind, in
Books & Culture: A Christian Review
(September/October 2000)
< www.christianityonline.com/bc/2000/005/9.24.html
>
First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence
Thomas, Scott Douglas Gerber, in First Things (October 1999)
< www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9910/reviews/morel.html
>
With Charity for All: Lincoln and the Restoration of the Union, William C. Harris, in The Historian (Spring 1999)
Thurgood Marshall: An American Revolutionary,
Juan Williams, and A Defiant Life: Thurgood Marshall and the Persistence
of Racism in America, Howard Ball, in Books & Culture: A Christian
Review (July/August 1999)
< www.christianitytoday.com/bc/9b4/9b4008.html
>
Closed Chambers: The Justices, Clerks, and Political Agendas That Control the Supreme Court, Edward Lazarus, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (January/February 1999)
The Taste for the Other: The Social and Ethical Thought of C.S. Lewis, Gilbert Meilaender, in Religion & Liberty (September/October 1998)
< http://www.acton.org/publicat/randl/98sep_oct/morel.html >
The Politics of Revelation and Reason, John G. West, Jr., in University Bookman (Summer 1998)
Can a Good Christian Be a Good Lawyer?, Thomas E. Baker and Timothy W. Floyd, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (November/December 1998)
Official Negligence: How Rodney King and the Riots Changed Los Angeles and the LAPD, Lou Cannon, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (July/August 1998)
A Matter of Interpretation: Federal Courts and the Law, Antonin Scalia, et al., in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (July/August 1997)
American Constitutionalism: From Theory to Practice, Stephen M. Griffin, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (May/June 1997)
Divided They Fell: The Demise of the Democratic Party, 1964-1996, Ronald Radosh, in Books & Culture: A Christian Review (November/December 1996)
Are We Alone? Philosophical Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life, Paul Davies, in Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith (June 1996)
Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All? James W. Sire, in Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith (September 1995)
Opinion-Editorials
John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, Ashland,
Ohio < www.ashbrook.org
>
As an adjunct fellow, write monthly op-eds for
the Ashbrook Center web-site and occasional publication by the Columbus
Dispatch. June 1997-present
Most recent op-ed: "Bush's
State of the Union Address: Paving the Road to Freedom" (February 2005)
< http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/morel/05/sotu.html
>
Los Angeles Times, "'Invisible Man' Helped Americans to See Each Other" (February 29, 2004)
Los Angeles Times,
"Ellison's
'Invisible' Still Walk Among Us" (April 14, 2002)
<
http://www.latimes.com/la-000026604apr14.story
>
[reprinted in Newsday, April 18, 2002]
Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Juneteenth: Liberty is Secured by Fits
and Starts" (June 19, 2001)
< http://www.timesdispatch.com/editorial/oped/MGBHHNZR4OC.html
>
Christian Science Monitor, "Juneteenth:
American Democracy in Theory and Practice" (June
19, 2000)
< www.csmonitor.com/durable/2000/06/19/fp9s1-csm.shtml
>
Op-eds in the Arkansas Times, Arkansas Business, Palm Beach Post, and Mundo Cultural.
Conferences
"Religion and the Presidency," Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, Grand Valley State University (Nov. 18-19, 2004)
Paper, “Lincoln’s Political Religion and Religious Politics”; aired on C-SPAN2 on Nov. 25, 2004
"Black History and Conservative Principles," Philadelphia Society’s Fall Meeting (Oct. 1-2, 2004)
Paper, "The Diversity of American Individualism in Ralph Ellison’s Writings"
<http://www.townhall.com/phillysoc/morel.htm>
“Abraham Lincoln, Slavery, and Secession: Understanding the Civil War,” Hillsdale College (July 23-24, 2004)
Lecture, “Lincoln’s Constitutionalism”
Spring Lecture for the Friends of Preston Library, Virginia Military Institute (April 23, 2004)
Lecture, “Ralph Ellison and the Raft of Hope: A Discussion of the Social and Political Significance of Ralph Ellison and Invisible Man”
“Religion & the American Civil War” Inaugural Symposium, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois (April 15-16, 2004)
Paper, “Lincoln’s Political Religion & Religious Politics”
75th Annual Lincoln Dinner, Lincoln Club of Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware (February 12, 2004)
Keynote Address, “Frederick Douglass’s Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln”
“Affirmative Action After the Michigan Decision: A Conversation,” Southern Illinois University Law School (November 18, 2003)
Paper, “The Diversity of American Individualism: Doing Justice to Human Equality and Liberty”
“Lincoln and Democracy in America” Conference, University of Chicago (May 9-11, 2003)
Lecture, “Lincoln and the Challenge of American Republicanism”
Abraham Lincoln Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Symposium, Library of Congress, D.C. (March 22, 2003)
Lecture, “Frederick Douglass’s Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln”
“Economic Theories and Controversies” Conference, Hillsdale College (February 2-7, 2003)
Lecture, “Locke, Lincoln, and American Capitalism”
Seventh Annual Lincoln Forum Symposium, Gettysburg, PA (November 16-19, 2002)
Lecture, “Lincoln’s Political Religion and Religious Politics”; aired on C-SPAN2 on Dec. 24, 2002
South Central Modern Language Association, Annual Meeting (October 31-November 2002)
Panelist, "Bound for Glory: The Gospel of Racial Reconciliation in Flannery O'Connor's 'The Artificial Nigger.'"
Ralph Ellison Symposium, Washington and Lee
University (February
1-2, 2002)
Symposium Director/Panelist, "Invisible Man
Turns Fifty: Ralph Ellison and the Literature of American Politics."
American Political Science Association,
Annual Convention
Paper, "Bound for Glory: The Gospel of
Racial Reconciliation in Flannery O’Connor's 'The Artificial Nigger'"
(September 2-5, 2004)
Discussant, "Frederick Douglass's Natural-Rights Constitutionalism" (August 29, 2003)
Paper, "Slavery, Self-Government, & the Good Life in Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day" (Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2002).
Chair, "Roundtable — Shelby Steele’s Contribution
to Contemporary Political Discourse" (Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2001).
Paper, "Roundtable — Harry V. Jaffa’s Crisis
of the House Divided" (September 2-5, 1999).
Chair, "The American Literature of Democracy"
(August 28-31, 1997).
Paper, "Rountable — Antonin Scalia’s
A
Matter of Interpretation" (August 28-31, 1997).
Paper, "Roundtable on Lord Charnwood’s
Abraham
Lincoln" (August 29-September 1, 1996).
Discussant, "Evangelicals and the Natural Law"
(September 3-6, 1992).
Arkansas Political Science Association (Annual
Meeting)
Paper — "Self-government as Political Subtext
in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day" (February 21-22, 1997).
Liberty Fund Colloquium (invited participant
or director)
"Liberty, Slavery, and the Human Condition" (January 13-16, 2005)
"The Genesis of Liberty" (March 25-28, 2004)
"Liberty, Responsibility, and American Individualism in Invisible Man" (Nov. 6-9, 2003), Director
"Socratic Leadership Seminar" (October 17-19, 2003)
"Moral & Political Liberty in Dostoevsky's The Devils and Conrad's Under Western Skies" (May 2-5, 2002).
"Shakespeare and Hume: English Liberty in the
Cradle" (Summer Institute, July 17-August 4, 2001).
"The Scottish Enlightenment: Liberty, Equality,
and Exchange" (June 7-10, 2001).
"Ishiguro's Remains of the Day: Freedom,
Servitude, and the Good Life in Literature and Philosophy" (March 1-4,
2001), Director.
"Liberty, Individuality, and Responsibility in
the Writings of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois,
and Ralph Ellison" (January 18-21, 2001).
"Religious Liberty and American Constitutionalism"
(August 17-20, 2000).
"Progress, Modernity, and Liberty in Flaubert
and Cather" (April 16-19, 1998).
"Liberty and the Moral Implications of Wealth"
(April 10-13, 1997).
"Individual Liberty and Public Virtue in Cato’s
Letters" (October 17-20, 1996).
"Liberty and Politics in the Writing of C.S.
Lewis" (August 17-20, 1995).
Heritage Foundation-Salvatori Center for Academic
Leadership
"Foundations of American Liberty" Colloquium
(July 11-20, 1993).
Invited Lectures/Guest Commentator (Radio/T.V.)
Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College (Galesburg, Illinios)
"Frederick Douglass's Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln" (September 16, 2005)
"Teaching American History in Delware," University of Delaware
"W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King Jr. and the American Civil Rights Movement": Seminar leader for teachers (July 17-22, 2005)
Virginia Public Radio, Harrisonburg-WMRA
Guest radio commentator on “Whose Democracy Is it?” (November 3, 2003)
Lincoln Forum Symposium-VII, Gettysburg College (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
"Lincoln's Political Religion and Religious Politics" (November 17-19, 2002).
Lincoln Day Lecture, Washington and Lee University
“America’s First Black President? Frederick Douglass on the Lincoln Presidency” (February 12, 2002).
Annual Memorial Program, “Remembering Robert E. Lee,” Lee Chapel, Washington and Lee University
"Abraham Lincoln and the Crucible of American Memory" (October 12, 2001).
Remarks for a Panel Discussion, “Heroes in Memoriam.”
Government and Political Education Lecture,
Saint Vincent College (Latrobe, Pennsylvania)
"Ralph Ellison's America: On the Politics of
Prejudice, Perseverance, and Possibility" (November 7, 2001).
Virginia Public Radio (Roanoke Station-WVTF)
Guest radio commentator on the meaning of the
“Juneteenth” holiday (June 19, 2001).
Abraham Lincoln Symposium, Lincoln Memorial
University (Harrogate, Tennessee)
"Abraham Lincoln as the First Black President?
Frederick Douglass on the Lincoln Presidency" (April 26-28, 2001).
Wisconsin Public Radio
Guest radio commentator on one-hour, live, call-in
program (December 13, 2000). Discussed the politics and legalities of the
historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Bush v. Gore) on the
Presidential election.
CNN's "TalkBack Live" < www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/30/tl.00.html
>
Guest television commentator on the subject,
"Was Abraham Lincoln a Racist?" (May 30, 2000).
New Hampshire Public Radio (Harrisonburg Radio
Station Link-WMRA) < www.nhpr.org/exchange.html
>
Guest radio commentator on "Public Financing
of Campaigns," a debate on one-hour, live, call-in program, "The Exchange"
(December 16, 1999).
John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs,
Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio)
"Sectionalism and Civil War": Seminar leader for high school teachers (June
19-25, 2005)
"Race and Equality in America": Seminar leader for high school teachers (June 26-July 2, 2005)
"Race and Rights in American History": Seminar leader for high school teachers (August 1-6, 2004)
"Slavery, Lincoln, and the Civil War": Seminar leader for high school teachers (June 20-25, 2004)
"Race and Rights in American History": Seminar leader for high school teachers (August 3-8, 2003)
"Slavery, Lincoln, and the Civil War": Seminar leader for high school teachers (June 22-27, 2003)
"Slavery, Lincoln, and the Civil War": Summer
Institute for High School Teachers (August 5-10, 2002).
"Lincoln's Sacred Effort: Religion's Role
in American Self-Government" (October 13, 2000).
"Charnwood’s Life of Lincoln" colloquium
guest speaker (March 7, 1998) and "Lincoln and the Civil War" seminar leader
for high school teachers (March 8, 1998).
Abraham Lincoln Association Annual Symposium,
Springfield, Illinois
"Lincoln Among the Reformers: Tempering the Temperance
Movement" (February 12, 1998).
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University
of Virginia
"Religious Rhetoric in Abraham Lincoln’s Statesmanship"
(June 13, 1997).
Public Policy Experience
Stratecon, Inc., Claremont, California
As Senior Researcher, helped edit two water policy
journals and tracked water policy issues in 17 states and the federal government.
Sept.
1992-July 1994
Occasional "expert" commentator for Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, and South Bend Tribune.
Fellowships
Faculty
H.B. Earhart
Research Fellow (2004)
Class of ’62 Fellow, Washington & Lee University (2003-2004)
Robert E. Lee Student Research Grant, Washington & Lee University (Summer 2002)
Glenn Summer Research Grant, Washington & Lee University (Summer 2002)
Pre-Tenure Leave, Washington and Lee University
(Fall 2001)
Glenn
Summer Research Grant, Washington and Lee University (Summer
2000)
Pew Summer Research Fellow, John Brown University
(1997)
Graduate
Henry Salvatori Fellow (1993-95)
H.B. Earhart Fellow (1988-89, 1992)
Lynde and Harry Bradley Fellow (1987-88, 1990-91)
Undergraduate
Hughes de Azatlan Scholar (1982-85)
Professional Associations
Abraham Lincoln Association
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial (1809-2009) Commission, Advisory Committee Member
Abraham Lincoln Institute, Board Member (2002-present)
American Political Science Association
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Program, Reader (2002)
Christians in Political Science
Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College, Board of Advisors (2002-2006)
Supreme Court Historical Society, Trustee (2004-present) and Publications Committee (2002-present)