DSPO 27A62 - Making Sens of the Conservative Revival in America

The re-election of Donald Trump in November 2024 confirmed that the conservative wave of 2016 has become a permanent feature of the American political landscape. Despite its influence, conservatism remains an understudied intellectual tradition, often overshadowed by socialism and liberalism. What is american conservatism ? This course seeks to clarify this tradition by addressing key questions: Is conservatism inherently undemocratic, illiberal or fascist? What are its core concepts? How do its various currents interact and diverge? Beyond providing a descriptive overview, this course will analyze the transnational dimensions of American conservatism. Specifically, it will examine how American intellectuals adapted a British political ideology to their own context, endowing it with features that have facilitated its global spread. We will investigate: What are these defining features? Does the globalization of conservatism contradict its core principles? And how central is American conservatism to the broader international conservative movement today? SYLLABUS Academic expectations The primary goal of this course is to cultivate a rigorous, analytical approach to understanding conservatism, grounded in the frameworks of political science and political theory. Rather than advocating for or against conservatism, the course emphasizes the importance of deconstructing and critically engaging with conservative thought, analyzing its key concepts, historical evolution, and intellectual foundations. This process of conceptual analysis allows students to examine the internal logic of conservative ideology, enabling them to evaluate its relevance and impact on contemporary political debates. By understanding the theoretical underpinnings of conservatism, students will be better equipped to assess its role in shaping modern political dynamics and form reasoned responses to the ongoing political challenges of our time. This approach fosters critical thinking, encouraging students not only to comprehend but to engage thoughtfully with one of the most influential ideological forces in contemporary politics. In addition to conceptual analysis, this course emphasizes the necessity of close reading, which involves a careful and detailed examination of primary texts. Close reading allows students to engage directly with the language, structure, and arguments put forth by conservative thinkers, fostering a deeper understanding of their ideas. This method also encourages students to consider both the internal coherence of these texts and their broader historical and intellectual contexts. While the course promotes a thorough understanding of conservative theory, it equally encourages critical engagement. Students will have the opportunity to critique conservative ideas either from an internal perspective—assessing the consistency and logical development of the ideology—or through a contextualist lens, evaluating how the ideas interact with or respond to broader political, social, and cultural conditions. This dual approach not only enriches the understanding of conservative thought but also fosters the ability to critically interrogate its assumptions, implications, and relevance in both historical and contemporary settings.

Thomas CHARRAYRE

Séminaire

English

Spring 2024-2025

To achieve this, the course will involve two exercises, both of which will be accompanied by oral presentations : • A reading report of no more than 5 pages on one of the course readings, with a preference for classic books by conservative authors – feel free to ask, if you want to read a book I didn't put in the bibliography. The goal here is to engage directly with conservative theory in order to understand its internal logic. The report will then be presented to the other students during class to share knowledge and practice effective communication of the material. (40 % of the grade) • A paper of no more than 10 pages on a topic chosen and defined in collaboration with the professor, aimed at explaining a conservative phenomenon, concept, or idea. For example: "What does tradition mean for American conservatives?" During Session 9, students will present a draft of their paper in an oral presentation to ensure the clarity of their arguments and to learn how to engage an audience effectively. (60 % of the grade)