The head of the Nelson A Rockefeller Center for Public Policy this year taught a course in winter term close to the center's mission—Rockefeller Republicans.
Professor of Government Jason Barabas '93 says Rockefeller, a moderate Republican who graduated from Dartmouth in 1930 and served as governor of New York and then vice president under President Gerald Ford, has a legacy worth examining.
“Most students do not know much about Rockefeller’s achievements,” Barabas says. “Nelson Rockefeller was in the middle of the political spectrum on many issues, but students today rarely encounter political moderates.”
With the current political party divisiveness in mind, Barabas not only taught about Rockefeller’s life in the 20th century but also took students through decades of politics and leadership examples before ultimately landing squarely in the contemporary era.
Students dove into the strength of Rockefeller’s leadership and read texts on his impact. Exploring the historical progression of moderate Republicanism from different points of view was important – the course examined texts, sometimes with the authors themselves taking time to visit. The students attended special special course specific events to speak with notable national journalists and political leaders such as Nelson A. Rockefeller Biographer Richard Norton Smith.
At center, President Sian Leah Beilock, Nelson Rockefeller Jr. '86, and Rockefeller Center Director Jason Barabas '93 enjoy some light-hearted remarks from historian Richard Norton Smith during a dinner with students in the Rockefeller Republicans public policy course taught by Barabas. (Photo By Kata Sasvari)
Barabas says he had Dartmouth Dialogues initiative front of mind in designing the course.
“As the College leans into cross-cutting conversations, this course offers unique opportunities to hold in-depth discussions about topics that are not typically covered in other classes and with students who may not know each other on campus because they have drastically different perspectives,” he says.
Students who took the class found the atmosphere of the class ideal for these types of conversations. “The Rockefeller Republicans seminar challenged me to think critically, as it was one of the few places on campus where I experienced open, honest dialogue across extremely different political viewpoints and party affiliations," says Addie Gerwin ’28. “Professor Barabas fostered a collaborative environment in which we consistently engaged in vibrant debates. While we all conducted independent research—my focus being on evangelical mobilization and theology—he emphasized integrating those findings into collective discussions, and in the end, we learned just as much from one another as we did from the material itself."
Students watched videos from past GOP political conventions, showcasing arguments that demonstrated the internal party tensions that Rockefeller often encountered, and which are still present today.
In addition, several students from the class traveled to Texas in March primarily to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference, aka CPAC.
“One goal of the class was to look at Rocky’s experience from the past in light of current political developments,” Barabas says. “The CPAC trip, and the visit to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, provided 21st century capstone experiences on the years since Nelson Rockefeller was in office.”
Jason Barabas and the students stand in the mock Oval Office in the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
The four-day experiential learning trip featured not only the opportunity to immerse students in real life political action, but to connect with Dartmouth alumni via breakaways from the conference itself. Students who attended say they found it beneficial to be able to speak with Dartmouth grads, whose viewpoints extended across the political spectrum.
"It was nice to hear such a wide range of views over the course of the week,” says one student.
“The experience really opened my eyes to how the things we learned about in class can manifest in the real world,” says another student, who got to know their colleagues better, regardless of their political leanings. "We became friends because of the environment cultivated by Rockefeller Republicans.”
The course received support from the Office of the President, Dartmouth Dialogues, and the School of Arts and Sciences.
“Few universities or colleges offer courses like this one, and the high level of execution was incredible," Barabas says. "We hope to repeat the course in the future.”