In our time it may be hard to imagine the American political landscape without conservatism, and yet like its counterpart-liberalism-conservatism is a creature of history. In the forms that we recognize today, conservatism had its origins in reactions to the New Deal and went through momentous transformations in the late 1960s and 1970s. And while the Reagan presidency was indeed experienced as political "revolution," it remains unclear what legacy of conservatism the principles of his administration established. This course will chart that trajectory, seeking to understand what issues conservatives have embraced in different periods; what issues have created conflict among conservative ranks; and how they have mobilized political power at different historical junctures. Evaluation will be based on class participation, one short book review, a take-home midterm, and a final interpretive essay, based in part on primary research. Group A

MERRILL