Politics Professor Speaks in the Great Hall at the Library of Congress Brian Alexander participated in a moderated discussion on his new book “Jefferson’s Manual of Parliamentary Practice.”

By Brian Laubscher
February 5, 2026

Brian Alexander, associate professor of politics at Washington and Lee University, participated in a moderated discussion at the John W. Kluge Center’s Member Dinner held Jan. 14 in the Great Hall at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Michael Kranish, an investigative reporter with the Washington Post, served as the moderator for a discussion of Alexander’s recently published book “Jefferson’s Manual of Parliamentary Practice.” Joining Alexander and the audience, including members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, were Patrick Hastings ’05 and Stephanie Stillo, who both currently work for the Library of Congress. Stillo was formerly a postdoctoral fellow in the digital humanities at W&L.

The event also included a reception in the Member’s Room that featured rare copies of Jefferson’s “Manual of Parliamentary Practice,” including the annotated, personal copy that Jefferson possessed until his death in 1826. W&L’s Special Collections and Archives holds one of the only two other known copies of Jefferson’s “Manual” annotated by Jefferson himself.

“I cannot imagine a better and more appropriate audience and setting to discuss Thomas Jefferson and his ‘Manual of Parliamentary Practice,’” said Alexander. “As a scholar, this is a career highlight. As a citizen, it is inspiring and heartening to engage in so much thoughtful and interesting discussion with our national leaders. Whatever challenges face Congress, they are a rule-abiding body — and for this, in part, we have Thomas Jefferson to thank.”

A member of the W&L faculty since 2017, Alexander is an expert on Congressional legislative norms, parliamentary procedure and interest groups. He authored “A Social Theory of Congress: Legislative Norms in the Twenty-First Century” in 2021 and “Jefferson’s Manual of Parliamentary Practice” in 2025. A forthcoming book “Folkways of Congress” is expected to be published in 2026.

Alexander completed a fellowship at the International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, where he analyzed Jefferson’s original edition and updates to “A Manual of Parliamentary Practice.” He annually directs W&L’s Washington Term, an experiential learning program offered to students in Washington, D.C., during Spring Term.

Alexander holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies from Miami University (Ohio), a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in American government and international relations from George Mason University.

The John W. Kluge Center’s mission is to foster connections between lawmakers and the world’s best thinkers, bridging the gap between scholarship and the policymaking community. Through conversations with scholars and public intellectuals, the Kluge Center plays a leading role at the Library of Congress in bringing innovative thinking to Members of Congress and their staffs.

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