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Articles by Thad Williamson
Bob Dylan helps us understand America
Can folk music help save American democracy? At first glance, it’s a preposterous question to ask. After all, hasn’t the idealist 1960s belief that we could sing ourselves to a world without racism, injustice and war been proven wrong? And didn’t Bob Dylan, the “voice of a generation,” walk away from the ideological straitjackets of folk purism to embrace individualism and rock stardom?
Prejudice, Then Pride
Two hundred and fifty years ago, 13 rebellious colonies, in one fell swoop, broke with their parent country, with the institution of monarchy and with feudalistic assumptions of permanent hierarchy — all by issuing the Declaration of Independence, with its extraordinary assertion of the “self-evident” truth that “all men are created equal.” That assertion of moral and political equality contradicted the facts of life in the 13 colonies in 1776 — and for generations after.
University of Richmond professor studies and practices leadership
Some people are scholars of leadership. Some are practitioners of leadership. Dr. Thad Williamson is both. He currently teaches two classes a semester as a professor of leadership studies and philosophy, politics, economics, and law at the University of Richmond. He also works part-time as a senior policy strategist for Mayor Danny Avula in the Richmond Mayor’s Office.
A General Model of Good Executive Leadership in Policy Contexts
Home > IJLS > Vol. 2 (2023) Commentaries Williamson, Thad (2023) "A General Model of Good Executive Leadership in Policy Contexts," Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies: Vol. 2, Article 4. Available at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/ijls/vol2/iss2/4 DOWNLOADS Included in Leadership Studies Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Political Theory Commons, Public Administration Commons, Urban Studies Commons COinS
Democracy in the Real World
December 7, 2023 Justice by Means of Democracy Danielle Allen University of Chicago Press, $27.50 (cloth) In the spring of 2023, I found myself in a small meeting room in a public library on the Southside of Richmond, Virginia, taking part in a fraught conversation with profound importance to the city’s future.
One for One
“The days of large public housing projects are over.” So declared the chief executive of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, responsible for managing the city’s extensive public housing portfolio as well as leading efforts to transform public housing into safe, vibrant, mixed-income communities. The quote isn’t from RRHA’s new CEO, Steven Nesmith, who took over in late September. In fact, it dates to fall 1990, months after Richard C. Gentry was appointed CEO of RRHA.
A Force for Change
Longtime professor and author John V. Moeser inspired legions of students and colleagues and helped Richmond carve a path toward racial justice. Moeser came to Richmond in 1971 to begin his teaching career at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he would become professor and chairman in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. In the 1970s and ’80s, he and several other colleagues helped form this prestigious department and created one of the most highly sought degrees at the university.
Thad: The Rejuvenation of Carolina Basketball
Let’s be clear: no matter how long or how intently you’ve followed Carolina Basketball, no one has ever seen anything like the events of the last five weeks. To move from the tournament bubble to the brink of a national championship, and in the process grow into a team that truly deserved to be there, competing on Monday night, was a remarkable thing to witness.
Thad: The Power of Love
The collective love of an entire community for its team, and by extension for each other, is the most powerful force in college sports. It’s why families come together, grown adults proudly wear over-the-top school regalia, and why people from time to time hug, shout, and lose themselves in collective ecstasy.
Thad: Excellence Sustained
With 16 seconds left in Carolina’s final home game on Feb. 28, Syracuse had the ball and a one-point lead. A loss to the Orange, followed by a then-presumed loss at Duke, would have left the Tar Heels at 21-10, a 13-7 ACC record, and quite likely on the wrong side of the NCAA bubble headed into the ACC Tournament. The Carolina-Syracuse game had been a compelling exhibit of highly skilled offensive basketball, from both teams.
Thad: An Astonishing Accomplishment
After more than a century of Carolina basketball, including eight consecutive decades of near-continuous excellence, you never expect that the entire trajectory of the program could turn on any one game.
Thad: Five Memorable UNC Upsets on Duke's Senior Night
As a general rule, there is no more satisfying regular season win for Carolina players or fans than a victory over Duke in Durham. During the Coach K era, North Carolina has compiled a 19-22 record in Cameron Indoor Stadium. That mark includes two streaks of four wins in a row (in the early 1980s and late 2000s) and another three-game streak in the mid-1990s.
Thad: Carolina's Top 10 Home Wins Over Duke in Coach K Era
This Saturday, Duke will bring a basketball team to Chapel Hill to compete against the Tar Heels for the 42nd and final time in the Coach K era. It’s worth remembering that the Duke-Carolina hardwood rivalry, after years of relative dormancy, had reached a fevered pitch over the three seasons prior to Coach K’s arrival, from 1977-80.
Thad: The Model for Carolina Basketball
The 1982 national championship team is recognized on Saturday at the Smith Center (Photo: Jim Hawkins/Inside Carolina) CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Think of it this way: it’s truly difficult to imagine the Chicago Bulls calling a reunion to honor the 25th anniversary of the teams that claimed the 1996 to 1998 NBA titles, at least without a lot of public drama and likely the use of negotiations, contracts, and lawyers behind the scenes.
Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson column: City Council should use the ARP to build community health and wealth in Richmond
Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson column: City Council should use the ARP to build community health and wealth in Richmond BOB BROWN/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH By Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson By Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson As of Sept. 6, 53.1% of Richmond city adults were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with 59.4% of adults having received at least one dose. That community vaccination rate placed Richmond in the midrange of Virginia independent cities.
OPINION: A Rare Opportunity
Richmond’s leaders need to take full advantage of American Rescue Plan funds to address core inequality issues. By Teresa Caviness, Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson When asked why the city doesn’t embrace more aggressive approaches to combating poverty and redressing gaping inequities, Richmond elected officials have for decades defaulted to two responses. First, leaders point to the fiscal limitations on city government.
A Salute to Mr. Williams
On July 1, 2005, my spouse and I moved from Boston, launching pad for the American Revolution, to Richmond, then often referred to unironically as the capital of the Confederacy, so I could assume a faculty position at the University of Richmond. I almost immediately missed the Boston Globe with its in-depth, late-deadline sports section, as well as its deep pool of thoughtful liberal commentators on the opinion pages. The local paper in Richmond would be a lot different, I had been warned.
"Community Wealth Building and the Reconstruction of American Democracy" by Melody C. Barnes, Corey D. B. Walker et al.
Description "How can we create and sustain an America that never was, but should be? How can we build a truly multiracial democracy in which everyone is valued and possesses the needed political, economic and social capital so that democracy becomes a meaningful way of life, for all citizens?
OPINION: Reopen Safely, Rebuild Now
George Wythe High School urgently needs rebuilding. The Richmond School Board should be focused on reopening schools, not taking over school construction. By The Rev. Robin Mines and Thad Williamson Richmond’s children have suffered profoundly during the pandemic, with thousands dealing with trauma, learning loss, social and emotional deprivation since March 2020.
In Memoriam
A former colleague looks back at the joy of knowing Adele Johnson, former executive director of the Black History Museum of Virginia. By Thad Williamson I am struggling to process the loss of my friend Adele Johnson, an incredible human being who made Richmond a much better place in so many ways.
Thad: Family
In 1952, Frank McGuire was hired to revive a historically successful North Carolina basketball program that had fallen a little flat. Five years later, Carolina had its first NCAA Tournament championship, defeating Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain in the final. In 1958, McGuire hired former Kansas player Dean Smith as assistant coach. In 1961, McGuire left Chapel Hill to coach Chamberlain in the pros, and Smith became the head coach.
OPINION: Build Back Better
Members of Richmond Together offer ideas on how the city could best utilize relief funds to address racial and economic inequities. By Teresa Caviness, Garrett Sawyer and Thad Williamson Elections have consequences: Americans have relearned this lesson the hard way over the last several years.
Rawls at 100
Happy birthday, John Rawls! We celebrate the political philosopher’s centenary, as well as the 50th anniversary of the publication of “A Theory of Justice.” The American political philosopher John Rawls was born in 1921 and published A Theory of Justice in 1971. In celebration of these 100th and 50th anniversaries, we provide this reading list of great Rawls-related essays that have appeared in Boston Review. One of the pieces is by Rawls himself, and came to us through Owen Fiss.
Taikein Cooper, Theresa Kennedy, Bryce Robertson and Thad Williamson column: Keep Kamras
Taikein Cooper, Theresa Kennedy, Bryce Robertson and Thad Williamson column: Keep Kamras In August, Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras spoke at City Hall about the upcoming year.
Teaching about Justice in the Time of Trump—And Beyond | Renewal
Thad Williamson The presidency of Donald Trump has presented a fundamental challenge to those of us in the United States (and perhaps elsewhere too) who teach and write about ‘justice,’ and specifically ‘social justice.’ The aspiration of ‘social justice’ is to organize our shared social institutions and social life in ways that are morally defensible: specifically, to respect and promote the flourishing of each individual while preventing the domination of any one group by another.
In Memoriam
A charming Brit and natural leader, Daryl Grove was much more to the people whose lives he impacted through Richmond Street Soccer. By Thad Williamson Eleven years and six months ago, I took notice of a Facebook post stating that a new organization was forming to engage homeless and formerly homeless men and women through soccer. There was a Saturday organizational meeting and kick-around taking place at Monroe Park around noon.
Flashback: Dean Smith, Still the Same Man
Dean Smith at his retirement press conference on Oct. 9, 1997 (Photo: Getty) On the 23rd anniversary of Dean Smith's retirement press conference, Inside Carolina is republishing its interview with the Tar Heel coaching legend in the spring of 1998. NEW YORK-- Dean Smith was feted in Manhattan on Tuesday night by the New York Athletic Club, as the recipient of the Winged Foot "Legends" Award given annually to the coach of a past national champion.
OPINION: Come Together
The nonpartisan Richmond Together forms to hold elected officials and ourselves accountable. By Taikein Cooper and Thad Williamson What’s realistic to expect of our local government? Most Richmond residents understand local government is an imperfect operation and likely always will be. They want to see good-faith effort by elected officials to be responsive to residents’ demands and needs, and tangible evidence that progress is being made.
OPINION: Pulling Together
Now is the time for our local leaders to step up to the plate with a bold, practical and inclusive vision for our city’s future. By Adria Scharf and Thad Williamson The COVID-19 crisis has not only disrupted daily life. It has also exposed long-standing ruptures in our social fabric and the gross failure of our federal government to respond boldly in real time to save lives and the economy.
Carolina’s 64 Greatest NCAA Tournament Games
Normally, today marks the best day of the college basketball calendar and one of the best days in all of sports: The proper beginning of the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 64 -- 32 games over a two-day period involving quality teams, unusual cross-regional matchups, close games, and highly unpredictable results. In the 35 tournaments since the field expanded to 64 in 1985, North Carolina has participated 32 times. Carolina’s record in the round of 64 is a gaudy 31-1.
Corey D.B. Walker and Thad Williamson column: Economic development after Navy Hill - Embrace democracy
By Corey D.B. Walker and Thad Williamson At the Richmond City Council meeting on Feb. 10, we watched the long lines of speakers against and for the Navy Hill project, with hope for the future of our city. Democracy can be messy and acrimonious. But the commitment and dedication by the citizens of Richmond offer us a portrait of its beauty. There is no need to relitigate the details of the Navy Hill proposal at the moment.
OPINION: Moving Forward
The Fox-Cary school pairing proposal is what our children need and deserve. By Thad Williamson The Richmond Public Schools are embarked on a comprehensive rezoning effort for elementary, middle and high schools. The results will help shape what kind of city we will become over the next decade. The most innovative proposal so far on the table is the idea of pairing John B. Cary Elementary School with William Fox Elementary School to create one larger district.
"The Almost Inevitable Failure of Justice" by Thad Williamson
Home > Jepson > Jepson Faculty Publications > 267 Abstract In his final book, Where Do We Go From Here (1967), Martin Luther King, Jr., warned that the struggle for black equality had moved into a more difficult phase that would test the moral commitments of white America to democracy.
Thad Williamson column: On the road to organizational improvement
On April 21, a Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial, “No to the mayor’s tax proposal,” weighed in against Mayor Levar Stoney’s proposed budget, aimed at fully funding the needs of public schools and boosting infrastructure, primarily on grounds that city government should do more to put “sound management in place” before increasing taxes. I have a unique perspective on this question. In 2014, I was granted academic leave to take leadership of Richmond’s Office of Community Wealth Building.
Top Ten Takeaways from the RVA Budget Process (So Far…)
1953 Boiler at Mary Scott Preschool, Richmond, VA, still in use. (Posted to Twitter by Jason Kamras, April 18. ) Why Local Budgets Matter: Setting the Context Richmond is a structurally challenged city with far too many needs and far too few resources. Truly effective leadership in this context means taking concrete steps to become a more equitable and more economically robust city.
Philosophical foundations for ‘good capitalism’
Martin O’Neill,Thad Williamson Like many contemporary social democrats, John Rawls came to worry that tax-and-transfer strategies were not the high road to social justice. Beyond the dead dogmas of deregulation The approach to regulation and business policy that Ed Miliband and his Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna have begun to sketch has attracted its share of criticism from the business sector’s less thoughtful partisans.
OPINION: A response to an opinion piece criticizing Mayor Stoney’s budget argues that city spending is not vastly disproportionate and we need to make hard choices.
March 19, 2019 Opinion & Blogs » Back Page Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and we will be hearing a lot of opinions in coming weeks with respect to Mayor Levar Stoney’s budget proposal to raise taxes to fully fund the Richmond Public Schools strategic plan and address other urgent needs. There’s opinion, however, but there are also facts. An informed public debate is undermined rather than enhanced when deeply misleading claims are introduced as revealed truths.
Winning the “Cold Civil War”
Symposium | Halfway Home? By Melody Barnes Thad Williamson from Winter 2019, No. 51 – 4 MIN READ Tagged CommunityDemocracyElections As Florida gubernatorial candidates Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum shook every bush and tree to find the votes necessary to claim the statehouse, further down the ballot, Amendment 4 cruised to a decisive victory with over 64 percent of the vote.
"Everybody's Got to Wonder What's the Matter With This Cruel World Today": Social Consciousness and Political Commentary in <em>"Love and Theft"</em> and <em>Modern Times</em>
Bob Dylan has spent much of the past fifty years trying to escape the label of "protest singer.” Over the past decade, there have been plenty of serious topics for the topically minded song writer to address: the Iraq War, threats to civil liberties, rising economic inequality, the financial collapse of 2008 and "Great Recession" that followed.
Archer and Williamson column: Challenges of 21st century democracy
By Allison Archer and Thad WilliamsonDemocracy in theory is praised for several compelling reasons. Democracies are said to offer everyone a voice in shaping the laws that govern us, as well as the ability to participate in selecting our leadership. Democratic governance should, over the long term, respond to the interests, needs, and preferences of the majority of the population.
Promises to Keep
In June, our daughter completed her sixth and final year attending John B. Cary Elementary School. As over-proud parents in this digital age, we have documented her every step with photos and social media posts. Those pictures show physical growth, class field trips and field days, and personal milestones.
"Everybody's Got to Wonder What's the Matter With This Cruel World Today": Social Consciousness and Political Commentary In "Love and Theft" and Modern Times
Bob Dylan has spent much of the past fifty years trying to escape the label of "protest singer." Over the past decade, there have been plenty of serious topics for the topically minded songwriter to address: the Iraq War, threats to civil liberties, rising economic inequality, the financial collapse of 2008 and "Great Recession" that followed.
Beyond the Welfare State
Fundamental issues of political philosophy usually lurk in the background of electoral politics, but some contests push these issues into the light. Mitt Romneys selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate, and Romneys criticisms of the 47 percent of Americans who owe no federal income tax, have raised basic questions of social and economic justice for the 2012 election. The GOP ticket has initiated a full-blown attack on the tenets of the welfare state.
A new compact for the Fourth of July
Rarely on a Fourth of July has America's future felt so insecure. Our sitting president was elected with a minority of the popular vote, in an election with meddling by a foreign power to influence U.S. voters. He shows virtually no respect for constitutional principles, or often, basic human decency. Although President Trump presents a serious problem, of greater concern is that he is a lagging indicator.
The Almost Inevitable Failure of Justice
Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform Tommie Shelby Harvard University Press, $29.95 (cloth) In his final book, Where Do We Go From Here (1967), Martin Luther King, Jr., warned that the struggle for black equality had moved into a more difficult phase that would test the moral commitments of white America to democracy.
The Almost Inevitable Failure of Justice
Image: Shutter Runner The persistence of black poverty has become a permanent feature of U.S. democracy. We need an expanded political imagination to dismantle it. This essay is featured in Boston Review’s print issue, Fifty Years Since MLK. Order your copy today.
The Cost of Canonizing MLK
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OPINION | From PWI to inclusive community of learning: The path UR must walk
Editor's note: The authors of this op-ed requested that The Collegian make an exception to AP style and allow the capitalization of white when referring to race in this piece. The authors decided to follow the APA style in capitalizing white because not doing so in the context of capitalizing other races and ethnicities serves to uphold white as the standard. The Collegian will continue to follow the AP style in its reporting.
Opinion: Three Life Lessons You May Not Expect From Bob Dylan | Back Page | Style Weekly - Richmond, VA local news, arts, and events.
If you think that human lives are supposed to be defined by consistency and logic, then Bob Dylan is the enigma you’ll never crack. At various points Dylan has been both an activist and a despiser of politics, a poet of the sacred and the profane, a celebrant of Black Panther heroes and a quoter of Confederate poets.
University of Richmond Downtown Take 30 to focus on local elections
The University of Richmond Downtown’s fall TAKE 30 event series will focus on “Election Season 2016.” This annual event includes three 30-minute discussions focusing on important questions for the Richmond area, led by university faculty and community leaders. Sept. 29: “None Like It in the Nation: How Richmond Elects Its Mayor” John Moeser, senior fellow at the University of Richmond’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, will lead this discussion.
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