
The first comprehensive survey of American conservatism since the 1950s, this academic milestone explores conservatism's journey from political periphery to power center. Despite 134 scholarly citations, authors Dunn and Woodard reveal academia's surprising neglect of conservative intellectual positions. What truths remain overlooked?
Charles W. Dunn and J. David Woodard are the co-authors of The Conservative Tradition in America and leading experts in American political thought and conservative ideology. Dunn, former chair of the United States J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, brings extensive academic and diplomatic experience to conservative political analysis.
Woodard serves as the Emeritus Thurmond Professor of Political Science at Clemson University, where he has taught since 1983, and works as a political consultant for prominent Republican candidates including Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham.
Together, they have collaborated on multiple works examining American conservatism, including American Conservatism from Burke to Bush. Woodard has authored seven books total, including The New Southern Politics and Ronald Reagan: A Biography, demonstrating his deep expertise in political biography and Southern political dynamics. His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Alumni Master Teacher Award.
Their combined academic authority and real-world political experience provide readers with both scholarly rigor and practical insights into conservative political tradition.
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Conservatism defends the status quo against abrupt change.
Rights are something to be earned rather than given.
Tradition is essential for good government.
Government is morally obligated to protect America's interests.
Human reason unchecked by tradition inevitably produces disastrous consequences.
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When Ronald Reagan took office in 1980, Americans witnessed not merely a presidential transition but the culmination of decades of intellectual groundwork. Conservatism had completed a remarkable journey from the periphery to the center of American political life. Unlike communism with its clear manifesto, conservatism represents a complex tapestry of often competing ideas united by common concerns about tradition, order, and liberty. What makes this political philosophy fascinating is how it transformed from an intellectual movement once dismissed as moribund into a dominant force shaping American discourse. The story of American conservatism isn't just about electoral victories but about a rich intellectual tradition that has profoundly influenced how we understand our nation's purpose, values, and future. How did a philosophy once relegated to the margins become so central to American identity?