PS 334 Conservative Political Thought
This course introduces students to core readings in the conservative political tradition. The aim of the course is to expose students to the intellectual foundations of one of the major political currents of the modern world. Rather than emphasizing contemporary debates, the course will focus on canonical authors whose ideas helped shape modern conservative thought. The readings touch on such perennial themes as the sources of legitimate authority; the role of the market; the relationship of politics, community, and religious faith; and the appropriate ends of politics. The course is also concerned with the development and revival of conservative political thought as a direct challenge to the liberal and socialist political traditions as exemplified by such writers as John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.