Contemporary American conservatism has moved a long way from its historical roots in the ideologies of classical conservatism and classical liberalism. How did we get from Edmund Burke to Donald Trump? From the Federalists to the Freedom Caucus? With an election looming, and chaos unfolding, this course will explore how the aforementioned ideologies have intersected with four distinct traditions within American conservative thought: (1) libertarianism; (2) neo-conservatism; (3) white supremacism; and (4) evangelical Christianity. Analyzing the political logics of these ideological variants, and how they’ve converged and diverged in practice, will give us a better understanding of the political conjuncture in which we find ourselves.
Learning Outcomes:
Delivery Method: Hybrid in-person and remote, with faculty remote
Prerequisites:None.
Corequisites: You'll be expected to attend 3-4 talks/events related to the U.S. elections (dates/topics still to be determined)
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
M/Th 8:30AM-12:10PM (1st seven weeks)
Maximum Enrollment: 22
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: Advancement of Public Action , All courses , SCT
Tags: close readings and text analysis , elections , inquiry , politics