On October 16, 2024, over a dozen faculty members and graduate students attended an Inklings presentation by Dr. Chris Brown. His talk, entitled “Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimundo, West Virginia v. EPA, and the Doubtful Future of Federal Climate Policy,” explored the connections between environmental and administrative law. In particular, it addressed how recent Supreme Court decisions impact this area of climate policy.
His presentation was followed by rich discussion among the attendees that explored the tensions between administrative rule-making and democratic governance.
Dylann Engle, a graduate student in the department who attended the event, said it was interesting to learn about some of the recent rulings that affect climate policy and to consider the processes behind them. She continued in saying “jurisprudence regarding climate change has to work towards the good of the general public, not just individuals” and emphasized what she saw as the growing need for decisive action in climate policy.
The original Inklings consisted of a small group of intellectuals (whose ranks included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis) who met weekly at Oxford University to read aloud and discuss their works in a spirit of fellowship and civil conversation. In the spirit of these Inklings, the Department of Political Science at Texas State University has held similar gatherings for more than two decades. Meeting monthly, TXST Inklings participants discuss research, exchange ideas, and address a wide variety of issues reflecting diverse interests.
For more information on the series, please contact Dr. Arnold Leder at al04@txstate.edu.
