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CATEGORY: HISTORY(42 MIN)
The 1990s were a time of major changes in America and the rest of the world. The Soviet Union fell, the Internet rose, and the last of the millennials were born. But behind a veneer of success, did this decade give rise to the 21st century problems that have plagued America today? And if so, how?
Christopher Caldwell contends in First Things that the Nineties saw an America that failed to respond well to its international success and instead sowed the seeds of a multitude of current issues. Caldwell specifically discusses the rise of the expert state, the increase of government surveillance, and the eventual progressive shift in views on race and sex.
The Clinton administration, Caldwell writes, relied on an ever-growing number of credentialed advisors to jump into globalist venture after globalist venture, foreshadowing the modern monstrosity of well-educated bureaucracy. This phenomenon spread worldwide.
Caldwell also refers to a ‘90s document called the “Magna Carta for the Knowledge Age” which he says failed to appreciate the true dangers of electronic surveillance. And he reveals the ways in which civil rights subtly took over the cultural scene.
Read Caldwell’s take on the Nineties right here.
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Weekly Poll
Is Civil Rights Legislation Still Necessary in 2023?
[A] Yes
[B] No
[C] Unsure
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CATEGORY: CULTURE (4 MIN)
Three decades after the 1990s, we know the cultural moment has changed drastically. In academia, politics, big business, and nearly every other sphere, woke ideology has permeated areas once dedicated to truly free speech. Conservatives have been now warning about the rise of woke thought and cancel culture for quite a while—has the constant attention worked?
In The New York Times, Ross Douthat discusses his thoughts on whether “peak woke” has passed or is yet to come. Douthat chronicles the recent pushback against the progressive regime from Republican governors in states like Florida and the wave of articles highlighting the abuses of the left-wing oligarchy in many areas of American life.
Douthat points to other evidence, like layoffs at Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research, to show the weakening power of wokeness. But Douthat also sees areas where this corruptive influence continues to maintain a stranglehold.
Most notably, Douthat finds that woke culture has entrenched itself in academia. He tells the story of one liberal professor who didn’t get a job at UCLA because of his opposition to diversity statements in academic hiring—even though he filled out such a statement himself.
Douthat concludes by relaying his fear that a Trump-like or COVID-like “emergency” could open the door to even more extreme progressivism. Do you share this fear? Read his full column (with our guest link) here.
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CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE
In this episode:
- Catherine Pakaluk joins the podcast to discuss her forthcoming book, Hannah’s Children, about women having large families amongst a culture of childlessness
- the limits of economic and family policy in reversing the falling birthrates, and what really drives our demographic decline
- Marlo and Catherine talk about the various joys and challenges that come with motherhood, both of one child and of many children
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ISI’s 70th Anniversary Gala &
Linda L. Bean Center Dedication
September 28th, 2023
This fall, join us at our 70th Anniversary Gala featuring Tucker Carlson, Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, and Linda Bean, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Together these are some of the most influential figures in America today.
We will also host a pre-event panel featuring longtime friends of ISI including Annette Kirk (Russell Kirk Center), Gene Meyer (The Federalist Society), Ed Feulner (The Heritage Foundation), and Dan McCarthy (ISI), discussing the 70th anniversary of three conservative classics: Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind, Leo Strauss’ Natural Right and History, and Robert Nisbet’s The Quest for Community.
We will have a lobster dinner in honor of Tucker and Linda’s mutual connection to the state of Maine, and seating will be limited to 150 guests. Our VIP ticket holders will have the chance to meet ISI trustees and event speakers in a private reception beforehand.
Reserve your tickets here!
Join us in Wilmington, DE >>>
American Economic Forum
November 1st, 2023
ISI invites you to our 2023 American Economic Forum to hear leading conservative economists, political leaders, and intellectuals discuss how to untangle the American economic crisis. Join us on November 1st at the Catholic University of America for a discussion of the central economic issues that we face today and how to chart a better course for a more prosperous, humane economy.
You’ll hear panels and lectures on a range of important topics such as AI, social capital, immigration and wages, American economic history, and more.
Students can register for this conference FOR FREE. Reserve your seat here!
Join us in Washington, DC >>>
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
In wake of affirmative action end, admissions task force releases report via The Cornell Review
“President Pollack has promised that ‘Cornell will follow the law’ in forming its future admissions policies that conform with the Supreme Court decisions. However, now that the report has been made public, it is time for robust community discussion leading to Trustee-level debates followed by actions by the individual colleges.“
An Interview with Julie Clark via The Texas Horn
“In March 2023, the Texas GOP voted 57-5 to censure Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales, who represents Texas Congressional District 23. Gonzales, who was first elected in 2020, currently faces three primary challengers. Julie Clark is one of those challengers.”
Affirmative Action is Sugarcoated Discrimination via The Jefferson Independent
“Does the Equal Protection Clause apply to all ethnic minorities in America? The Miller Center doesn’t seem to think so. On September 15, the Miller Center held a discussion covering the history of affirmative action and the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning it.”
Hundreds attend campus Matt Walsh event via The Washington & Lee Spectator
“Matt Walsh, the prominent and controversial conservative commentator, author, and filmmaker, spoke on campus to a full crowd in Lee Chapel, National Historic Landmark, this Monday, September 18. Walsh’s speech, entitled What is a Woman?, is a reference to Walsh’s 2022 film of the same name.”
The End of Political Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University via The Claremont Independent
“The administration of Claremont Graduate University has ended its graduate program in political philosophy after nearly six decades... Many professors, students and alumni of the program were blindsided by the decision.” |
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CATEGORY: HISTORY (14 MIN)
Modern foreign policy has undergone a drastic shift in ideological alignment. Members of both political parties cross the aisle to advocate for more hawkish or less warlike positions. Establishment Republicans and Democrats often favor more aggressive intervention; some conservatives and liberals advocate a more limited foreign strategy.
Many thinkers have sought to apply lessons from America’s successes in the 20th century to its modern challenges in the 21st century. One major policymaker, George Kennan, was instrumental in building U.S. strategy during the Cold War. For this week’s Intercollegiate Review archive, Scott McConnell reviews a recent book on Kennan: George Kennan for Our Time, by Lee Congdon.
McConnell says Kennan represented a deeply pragmatic view of American foreign policy, one that pushed back against an overly prideful and moralizing international strategy. Congdon’s book compares Kennan’s takes with the modern stances on U.S. foreign affairs, arguing that Kennan’s levelheadedness contrasts with the warmongering politicians on both ends of the political spectrum.
“A key question for any Kennan biographer,” McConnell writes, “is whether to view his career as an exemplary success, a story of the emergence and triumph of a measured and intellectually brilliant Cold War insider, or to see him as a nearly tragic failure, a man whose later insights were rejected by his establishment peers.”
Read McConnell’s review here, and decide how you see Kennan’s story.
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Thought of the Day:
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
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Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club
It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!
For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.
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