Dawn of the Dead? A Discussion of "Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead"

May 2010

Past Event

Dawn of the Dead? A Discussion of "Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead"

Past Event

Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters

May 18, 2010

May 2010

Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Read Transcript Read Transcript Read Transcript

Speakers:

William Schambra,

Hudson Senior Fellow and Director, Bradley Center for Philanthropy & Civic Renewal

Ray Madoff,

Law Professor, Boston College and author

Jeffrey Cooper,

Quinnipiac University School of Law

Arthur "Buzz" Schmidt,

GuideStar International

Suzanne Garment,

Center on Philanthropy, Indiana University

A donor may set up a charitable foundation in perpetuity, and the foundation’s trustees are obligated to carry out the donor’s intent. These two defining features of the American legal system afford donors a form of immortality, writes Ray Madoff in her new book, Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead (Yale University Press). But when current needs are effectively surrendered to the “dead hand” of the past, and when that trend is driven not by the wishes of the dead so much as by the living who stand to benefit the most – trustees, bankers, and financial services companies, society and the donor himself or herself ultimately lose, Madoff argues.

On May 18, Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center gathered a panel of experts to discuss the issues raised in Madoff’s book: Is it impossible to prevent donor intent from being corrupted? To what extent should it be honored after a donor’s death? Who should decide?

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

The Future of the Gulf: Commerce and Security in the Middle East After Operation Epic Fury

Featured Speakers:

Mike Gallagher

Jared Cohen

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

The Future of the Gulf: Commerce and Security in the Middle East After Operation Epic Fury

Join Hudson Institute Distinguished Fellow Mike Gallagher for a fireside chat with Jared Cohen, president of global affairs at Goldman Sachs and co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, for a discussion on the future of the Persian Gulf.

Featured Speakers:

Mike Gallagher

Jared Cohen

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Featured Speakers:

Ken Moriyasu

Congressman Jimmy Panetta

April 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Updating US Trade Policy: A Discussion on the Strategic and Economic Importance of Central Asia with Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)

Please join Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Senior Fellow Ken Moriyasu for a discussion on Central Asia’s economic and strategic significance and why updating US trade policy is key to unlocking the region’s potential in an era of renewed great power competition.

Featured Speakers:

Ken Moriyasu

Congressman Jimmy Panetta

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Cuba: Prospects for Transition

Featured Speakers:

Daniel Batlle

Frank Calzon

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Cuba: Prospects for Transition

Join Hudson Institute for a conversation with Frank Calzon, a veteran human rights advocate and one of the foremost authorities on Cuban civil society, as we examine the state of the island, lessons from democratic transitions elsewhere, and prospects for the Trump administration’s Cuba strategy.

Featured Speakers:

Daniel Batlle

Frank Calzon

Learn More

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Sustaining the Edge: A Conversation with Congressman Ronny Jackson on US-Israel Technology and Security

Featured Speakers:

Joel Rayburn

Congressman Ronny Jackson

April 2026

In-Person Event | Hudson Institute

Sustaining the Edge: A Conversation with Congressman Ronny Jackson on US-Israel Technology and Security

Please join Director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Michael Doran and Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX) for a discussion on the congressman’s recently introduced United States-Israel Framework for Upgraded Technologies, Research, and Enhanced Security Act and the strategic importance of the US-Israel partnership.