Curriculum Vitae Matthew J. Peterson 1204 Yale Avenue Claremont, CA 91711 Mobile: (607) 239-3094 Email: mattpeterson@gmail.com EDUCATION: Claremont Graduate University, Ph.D., Political Science; December, 2013. Concentration: Political Philosophy, American Politics Dissertation: The Meaning of the Public Good in the Rhetoric of Ratification. An examination of the meaning of the public good considered as the purpose of government in the public debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. An extended commentary and textual analysis of the published writings of five Federalists (Tench Coxe, John Dickinson, Oliver Ellsworth, Noah Webster and James Wilson) and five Anti-Federalists (Agrippa, Centinel, Federal Farmer, Brutus, and Impartial Examiner), the dissertation argues that the notion of the public good played a significant role in major themes (federalism, representation, union) of that debate. For instance, the Anti-Federalist view of representation emphasized that the public good must be truly public, or good for every sort of citizen, without making clear how the public good differs from majority will; the Federalists emphasize the public good must be truly good, the product of sound deliberation. The dissertation concludes that neither the Federalist nor the Anti-Federalist understanding of the protection of individual rights as the purpose of government completely foreclosed the notion of the promotion of the public good. Although the Federalist notion of the public good was limited in scope, remaining in some way open as to the final purpose of human beings or the ultimate questions about what is truly good, it was nonetheless distinct from and more developed than the idea that government exists solely to protect individual rights and procure an interdependent collection of private goods. Committee Chair: Dr. Joseph Bessette, Claremont McKenna College Committee: Dr. Charles Kesler, Claremont McKenna College; Dr. Ralph Rossum, Claremont McKenna College; Dr. Michael Uhlmann, Claremont Graduate University Claremont Graduate University, M.A., Politics, 2007. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California; B.A., Liberal Arts, 2001. Great Books program, no electives, no textbooks, all original works (including math and science), all seminar style classes. Degree equivalent to a double major in Philosophy and Theology with a minor in Math and Natural Science. Senior Thesis: In Defense of Beauty, on the relation between Thomas Aquinas’s notion of beauty to art and knowledge. Passed written examination and oral defense “With Distinction,” highest honors possible. ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE: Teaching Visiting Assistant Professor, Claremont McKenna College, Government Department; August, 2014—present. “Introduction to American Politics”; two sections. Part-Time Lecturer, Loyola Marymount University, Department of Political Science; January, 2014—present. “Punishment & Mercy”; upper level core (Ethics & Justice) theory course. “Introduction to U.S. Politics”; three sections. William E. Simon Fellow, Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy; January, 2014— April, 2014. “Seminar in Political Issues: Media and Public Policy”; graduate school elective. Faculty, Leadership for America, Tilden Study Center, “Religious Freedom and Expression” (week long seminar), Summer, 2013. Designed and taught intensive week long seminar for select high school students. Adjunct Professor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Azusa Pacific University; September, 2007—May, 2008. “Seminar on Herodotus' Histories”; upper level course fulfilling general requirements via the Humanities Program. “Seminar on the Lincoln-Douglas Debates”; upper level course fulfilling general requirements via the Humanities Program. “Freshman Writing Seminar: An Introduction to Logic and Rhetoric”; required course via the Department of English. Publications I am currently writing book proposals and submitting my dissertation for publication, as well as writing multiple articles to be submitted this summer to peer reviewed journals. I am in the middle stages of editing a volume of Templeton Prize winner Ambassador Michael Novak’s essays on religious liberty for publication. I will be the sole editor of the book. American Political Thought: A Journal of Ideas, Institutions and Culture has requested an article from me based on my dissertation chapter on the notion of liberty and licentiousness in the founding era. Forthcoming, Winter, 2014: a review of The Foundations of Natural Morality: On the Compatibility of Natural Rights and the Natural Law (University of Chicago Press) by S. Adam Seagrave for the Claremont Review of Books. “Citizen Satisfaction Survey for the City of Glendale,” senior research associate and author as consultant for Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College, July, 2013. I contributed from 2008 to 2011 to research and interviews for these reports as vice president of Grant Evaluation, Inc.: “Congressional Academies Four Year Evaluation and Follow-Up Study,” “Congressional Academy Guidebook for Effective American History and Civics Teacher Professional Development,” both submitted to client and the United States Department of Education in August, 2013; “Presidential Academies Six Year Evaluation and Follow-Up Study” (submitted May, 2013); and the “Presidential Academy Guidebook for Effective American History and Civics Teacher Professional Development” (submitted July, 2013). Each of the above documents drew from my grant evaluation reports for the “Teaching America's Story: Three Documents, Three Cities, Three Eras” Congressional and Presidential Academy programs conducted by the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, Ashland University, OH. These reports were compiled, written and submitted to clients and the United States Department of Education annually (2008-2011). Select Teaching American History grant evaluation Annual Performance Reports compiled, written and submitted annually to clients and the United States Department of Education as vice president of Grant Evaluation, Inc.: “A More Perfect Union: The Origins and Development of the U.S. Constitution” directed by Dr. Peter Gibbon (Boston University) in Massachusetts for the South Shore Education Collaborative (2009-2011); Northshore Education Consortium, CHARMS Collaborative Project (2010, 2011); Cape Cod Collaborative (2008-2010). “James Madison Seminar on Teaching American History” directed by Dr. Bradford Wilson, James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, Princeton University in New Jersey for the Delaware Valley Regional High School District (2009-2011), Sussex-Warren History Consortium (2011), Ewing Public Schools/Ewing History Consortium (2011), Linden Public Schools/Union County History Consortium (2011), West Orange High School District/Essex County History Consortium (2011), and in Indiana in conjuction with the Anderson Community School Corporation, the “People's History” program (2008, 2009). “Foundation of America History Fellowship” (2009, 2010) and the “Making of America History Fellowship” (2008, 2009) directed by Cleveland County Schools, NC in conjunction with the American Institute for History Education. “Backyard History” conducted by Brown County Educational Service Center, OH in conjunction with Master of Arts in American History and Government program at Ashland University, (2010-2011). “The Great Black Swamp History Scholars Project,” (2010, 2011) and “History Partners Educating, Enlivening, and Reviewing Ourselves” (2010, 2011) directed by the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center, OH in conjunction with Master of Arts in American History and Government program at Ashland University, OH. “Five Star Liberty Fellowship,” directed by Dr. Denise Shockley and the GalliaVincent Educational Service Center, OH in conjunction with the American Institute for History Education (2010). “The John Witherspoon Liberty Fellowship” directed by Lakewood Public School District, NJ in conjunction with the American Institute for History Education, 2008. From November, 2006 to July, 2008 I created, edited, and wrote anonymously for a ground breaking regional blog focused on municipal politics in Southern California. My writing was repeatedly cited in several Southern California newspapers and I was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times; the blog was also cited by Newsweek and Money Magazine. “Campaign Cash Cutoff?,” Op-Ed, The Press-Enterprise, May 17th, 2008. Edited the text of “The Economic Impact of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Amended Tribal-State Compact,” published by the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College, May 9, 2007. Consultant and co-author with William Goodwin for private client, “An Analysis of Elite Opinion Makers and Development Issues in the City of 29 Palms” by William Goodwin and Matthew Peterson, Visual Politics, LLC, 2007. Book in Brief: “God and the Natural Law: A Rereading of Thomas Aquinas.” In Claremont Review of Books, Volume VI, Number 4, (Fall 2006). Research assistant to Brian P. Janiskee in 2006 for Local Government in Early America: The Colonial Experience and Lessons from the Founders by Brian P. Janiskee (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). “A blueprint for better living,” Op-Ed, The Press-Enterprise, June 24, 2006. Research assistant to Brian P. Janiskee and Ken Masugi in 2004 for The California Republic: Institutions, Statesmanship, and Policies edited by Brian P. Janiskee and Ken Masugi (Rowman & Littlefield, 2004). As research associate at Grant Evaluation, Inc. contributed to: An Evaluation of the Impact and Effectiveness of the Bill of Rights Institute High School Curriculum, 2004. An Evaluation of the Impact and Effectiveness of the Teaching American History Grant Program Grant for Charter Schools in Newark, New Jersey and Bergen, New Jersey, 2004. An Evaluation of the Bill of Rights Institute High School Curriculum, 2001. As Project Manager at Research and Evaluation for Philanthropy (now Grant Evaluation, Inc.), contributed to: An Evaluation of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship high school curriculum, 1998. Conferences Invited to deliver “Federalist 10 in American Political Thought: A Literature Review” at the first annual “Montpelier Roundtable on James Madison and the American Constitution,” at the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier on May 2627, 2015. “Church and State Seminar: Religion and Liberty in the American Founding Era,” at the Erdman Conference Center of Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey, July 27-August 2, 2014. Accepted and scheduled to deliver “Religious Licentiousness: The Definition of Liberty in Early America” at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 3-6, 2014. Accepted and scheduled to deliver “The Public Good and the Genesis of the Constitution” at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, January 8th, 2011. Accepted and scheduled as Chair/Discussant for “Civic Education On Campus & Beyond” panel at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, January 7th, 2011. “The Anti-Federalists and the Common Good,” delivered at the Northeastern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, November 11, 2010. “The Purpose of Government in the Rhetoric of Ratification: Promoting the Public Good and Protecting Individual Rights,” delivered at the Third Annual US Intellectual History conference, “Intellectuals and Their Publics,” October 21, 2010. Participant, seminar on the thought of Leo Strauss, sponsored by the Henry Salvatori Center, August 21, 2007. (paid stipend) Selected Presentations Mobilize.org, Washington, D.C., September 19-21, 2008. Invited both as participant and entry in grant competition to “Democracy 2.0 Entrepreneur Money in Politics Grant Summit.” Lincoln Club of Orange County, CA, 2006. Presentation on “Blogging and State & Local Politics.” (paid stipend) PRIDE International Drug Prevention Advanced Training Conference, Orlando, FL, October 28-November 2, 2005. Designed and led seminar on “Drugs and the Law: Underlying Issues.” (paid stipend) Arsalyn Program, Pasadena City College, November 17th 2006. Panelist for "Eminent Domain and the Wal-Mart Effect.” (paid stipend) Research Research Consultant, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College; June, 2013—present. I direct the Burnweit Database project, working with faculty, students, and staff. This unique collection of data includes entries for every California state senate and assembly member since statehood, providing details such as the office held, party affiliation, dates of service, professional affiliation before service, and reason for departure. The data is being organized and updated for online, public use. Managing Director, The Charles De Koninck Project, April, 2012—present. I helped create the institute to publish the entire corpus of philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906-1965, Université Laval) online and promote broad discussion of fundamental questions underlying the history and philosophy of science, human nature and history, ethics, and religion and politics. Working to launch a related journal in 2015. Tasks to date include: creation of website and blog, selection and preparation of texts for publishing, writing commentary, grant writing, and assembling board of scholars and other interested parties nationwide. Assistant to the Directors, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College, June 2007—June 2008. Assisted the directors and consultants in day-to-day management of student teams conducting various projects in the areas of fiscal analysis, survey research, demographic analysis/geographic information systems, and regulatory analysis. Presented project progress to the board. Developed and implemented plans for expansion and new projects while assisting in grant writing and editing publications. Directed increasing online focus, from the completion of a new digital library and database to the conceptualization, design and content of the Rose Report blog. Assistant Director, Center for Local Government, Claremont Institute, January 2005 — January 2006. Conceptualized, designed and wrote for Local Liberty, the blog of the Center for Local Government. Local Liberty was referenced by many of the most heavily trafficked political blogs on the internet and was read daily by thousands of journalists, politicians, and other opinion-makers in California and beyond within a few months of our launch. Made notable contributions to the Claremont Institute’s main blog, The Remedy, some of which helped to bring about the most heavily followed debate in the site’s history. Helped edit and produce the national Local Liberty newsletter. Research centered on various topics related to state and local government in California, primarily the state’s tax structure, as well as several other issues ranging from urban planning to bioethics. Published op-eds, was cited in the press. Gave talks and represented Institute at conferences. Carried out assorted administrative duties for the Director from assisting with conferences, organizing lectures, and managing intern staff. Research Associate, Center for Local Government, Claremont Institute, June, 2003— January, 2005. Edited Local Liberty, the newsletter of the Center for Local Government, which was sent to thousands of political leaders and scholars nationwide, including a large number of state and local political leaders in California. Assisted with scholarly research for various Claremont Institute projects; researched, proofread, and created indexes for multiple books and articles. GRANTS: Visual Politics, 2008. Anonymous grant from foundation of $40,000 to Visual Politics, LLC to create prototype of “Wikishine,” an interactive, non-partisan website dedicated to providing citizens with uniform, usable data and information on the finances and performance of their local governments. Developed plan for a corresponding non-profit. U.S. Department of Education, 2008-2011. Assisted in designing and writing evaluation plans into Teaching American History (TAH) grant proposals for local education agencies and history education providers nationwide as part of Grant Evaluation, Inc. Assisted in securing over $30 million in grants disbursed by the U.S. Department of Education over three years. AWARDS AND HONORS: Research Grant, Claremont Graduate University, Spring, 2007; Fall, 2007. Earhart Foundation Fellowship, 2006-2007. Bradley Fellowships, 2002-2006. Claremont Graduate University Fellowship Award, 2002-2005. Claremont Graduate University Research Assistant, 2003-2004. Member, Student Executive Committee, 2003-2004, Claremont Graduate University. Prefect, 2000-2001, Thomas Aquinas College, (paid position of honor approximate to RA). PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Consultant, National Demographics Corporation; June, 2013 – present. Research and analysis of municipal politics for private clients; opposition research. Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Forgotten Road Radio; September, 2012 – present. Forgotten Road Radio produces radio features that share the story of America, from short stories of civic virtue to original commentary on contemporary life. Currently developing business plan and original content. Vice President, Business Development, Simka Entertainment, Burbank, CA; May 2013 – June, 2014. Developed proposal and approached investors for a YouTube Multi-Channel Network (MCN) bringing foreign animation and animators to English speaking audiences. Simka Entertainment has completed eight animated movies in the last two years. Vice President, Grant Evaluation, Inc., private consulting firm, Little Meadows, PA, July, 2008—August, 2011. Managed office staff of 4-8 employees in the design, implementation and management of evaluation research for over $50 million in federal history education. Assisted in writing grant proposals as well as providing and supervising client services for local education agencies (school districts) and history education providers nationwide. Involved frequent travel and presentations on an exact schedule while leading a team doing the same. Observed and evaluated the effectiveness of hundreds of lectures and seminars given by professors nationwide. Assisted clients such as the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the James Madison Program at Princeton University, the American Institute for History Education, and many others engaged in teaching history, civics, and American political thought better achieve their goals. Worked closely with history and political science professors to create and implement various means of determining whether or not thousands of students and K-12 teachers had mastered history, civics, and government content. Co-founder, Co-Owner and Co-Operator, Visual Politics, LLC, June 2006 — May 2008. Conducted local political research and analysis including online publishing, social network mapping, and opposition research, with focus on producing understandable, visual results. Projects included creating and writing for a ground-breaking, anonymous local political blog covering select city governments in southern California. Received national attention online and was cited by Newsweek and numerous regional papers including the Los Angeles Times. Consultant, National Demographics Corporation, June 2006 — May 2008. Conducted local political research and analysis including interviews, online publishing, social network mapping, and opposition research on a project by project basis. Consultant, Evaluation Solutions (now Grant Evaluation, Inc.), January 1998 — January, 2008. Worked intermittently as a consultant, research associate, and project manager employing survey research as well as other qualitative and quantitative methods to measure the effectiveness of various high school curricula and training programs, primarily in the areas of American history and government. Programs evaluated included the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (at the request of the Koch Foundation) and select Bill of Rights Institute high school curricula. REFERENCES: Academic Joseph M. Bessette Alice Tweed Tuohy Professor of Govt. and Ethics, Claremont McKenna College joseph.bessette@claremontmckenna.edu, Office Phone: (909) 607-3989 Charles R. Kesler Dengler-Dykema Distinguished Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College; Editor, Claremont Review of Books charles.kesler@cmc.edu, Office Phone: (909) 607-3984 Michael Novak Trustee, Visiting Professor, Ave Maria University; Author Upon request. Jean R. Schroedel Professor, Department of Politics and Policy, Claremont Graduate University Jean.Schroedel@cgu.edu, Office Phone: (909) 621-8696 Michael M. Uhlmann Research Professor, Department of Politics and Policy, Claremont Graduate University michael.uhlmann@cgu.edu, Mobile Phone: (951) 217-9302 Professional Ken Masugi Visiting Professor, Advanced Academic Programs, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University;; Author, Liberty Law Blog, Liberty Fund kenmasugi@aol.com, Mobile Phone: (202) 669 7007 Douglas Johnson President, National Demographics Corporation Consultant, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College djohnson@ndcresearch.com, Mobile Phone: (310) 200-2058 Ralph A. Rossum Salvatori Professor of Political Philosophy & American Constitutionalism, Claremont McKenna College Former Director, Rose Institute of State and Local Government, Claremont McKenna College rrossum@cmc.edu, Office Phone: (909) 607-3392