New Conservatism and its Critics

The rise of Donald Trump has underscored the importance of understanding the intellectual defenses of a so-called New Conservatism.

The New Conservatism and its Critics examines the pressing issue of contemporary conservatism in the United States in light of the presidency of Donald Trump, providing a wealth of new insights on American conservative thought across its 23 detailed chapters. After reflections on the classical liberal inheritance within much in American conservatism, it brings together leading thinkers defending the so-called New Conservatism. Condemning “establishment” conservatives as misguided, ineffective, or both, New Conservatives are now highly influential—and they deserve to be addressed seriously. To this end, the book contains original chapters defending New Conservatism by such influential scholars as Patrick Deneen, Roger Kimball, Arthur Milikh, and Scott Yenor. It also offers critiques of this movement by scholars generally sympathetic to conservative or classical liberal positions but who remain skeptical of New Conservative thought, including chapters by Robert George, Joshua Mitchell, William Ruger, and David Corey, as well as chapters by prominent thinkers critical of conservativism—both new and old—including Corey Brettschneider, Laura Field, and Jacob T. Levy. The work concludes with reflections on conservatism in our contemporary era by R.R. Reno and Wilfred McClay. In a time of heightened political polarization and misconceptions, this extensive volume will advance the understanding of contending political theories in contemporary American life.