American Conservative Thought

Catalog description

The political debates between liberalism and conservatism are ardent. However, while these two terms are used freely and are attached to varied themes, their meaning is uncertain. Hence this class aims to introduce the students to the meaning of American conservatism. While defining conservatism, students will become familiar with the most relevant topics in the American Conservative Thought. The class introduces the political and philosophical heritage of conservatism, as well as examines themes that are relevant to contemporary American politics today. The focus will be on principles of conservatism, not on analyzing policies or proposals. Moreover, aiming to give a balanced view, a variety of perspectives that support and criticize American Conservatism will be presented.