Intellectual Foundations of Modern Conservatism

In this reading and writing intensive seminar, we will critically examine some of the fundamental ideas of modern political conservatism, as presented by some of its leading thinkers. We will attempt to better understand conservative thought, and develop a framework for assessing its strengths and weaknesses, with respect to a number of representative topics, including the following: distributive justice and the apparent tension between liberty and equality, criminal justice and the nature of crime, and social conservatism and the role of religion in society. Our authors will include philosophers, economists and social scientists.