What are the strengths and weaknesses of new theoretical models of governance? How do these new models affect our assessment of administrative and structural constitutional issues?

To explore these and other issues related to the appropriate roles of administrative agencies, the president and the courts, the Cornell Law Review is hosting the symposium "Getting Beyond Cynicism: New Theories of the Regulatory State," on Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10, at the MacDonald Moot Court Room in Myron Taylor Hall at Cornell Law School. It is free and open to the public.

"Cynicism dominates contemporary discussion of the American political system," say law professors Cynthia Farina and Jeffrey Rachlinski, who organized the symposium. "Politicians decry the political system as being awash with money, giving interest groups massive influence. Network news consistently runs stories of wasteful government programs, which are commonly tied to the undue influence of one or another political insider. Stories of important social legislation on health care, tobacco and handguns being derailed by interest groups further exacerbate public distrust of the government. Voters periodically express their outrage at the system by electing outsiders, such as Jesse Ventura, and by supporting quirky would-be reformers, such as John McCain, Steve Forbes and Ross Perot.

"In this sea of public cynicism, it should perhaps be no surprise that distrust and suspicion dominates academic discussion of government as well."

To discuss the world of government "beyond cynicism," speakers from across the country will address the proper role for judicial review of administrative agency action, the nondelegation doctrine, the role of executive oversight of administrative agencies and the prospects for partnership and cooperation between regulators and regulatees. Perspectives offered will be of interest to practitioners of law, political and governmental science, behavioral science and economics. Scholars representing numerous law schools and political science departments will present papers and participate in panel discussions on topics ranging from analyzing cynicism about government, the meaning and purpose of government and cognitive psychology and optimal governmental design to social conformity and judicial review of agency rulemaking, privatization and public choice.

In addition to many Cornell law professors as well as Theodore J. Lowi, the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions at Cornell, presenting speakers include Terry M. Moe and John Ferejohn of the Hoover Institute; Peter Strauss, the Betts Professor of Law at Columbia Law School; Jody Freeman, professor of law, UCLA Law School; Edward L. Rubin, professor of law, University of Pennsylvania Law School; Saul Levmore, the William B. Graham Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School; and William N. Eskridge Jr., the John A. Garver Professor of Jurisprudence, Yale Law School; among many others.

The first session is 3:15 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday with Lee E. Teitelbaum, the Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law at Cornell, introducing the first panel, which will address issues related to government cynicism and the meaning, purpose and structure of government.

On Saturday, the symposium runs from 9 a.m. through 5:15 p.m.

The symposium has a dozen sponsors, including numerous groups at the Cornell Law School, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Finance Commission at Cornell, Cornell's Office of the Dean of Students, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell, Lexis-Nexis and BAR/BRI Law Review course.

No registration is required. For more information, contact symposium editor Sarah Phan at shp7@cornell.edu .