The best of intellectual conservative thought, every Thursday
View this email in your browser

CATEGORY: POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (5 min)
 

No One Knows What “Change” and “Equality” Mean


Here’s a fun experiment.

The next time your progressive friend talks about equality, ask two questions:
  1. What exactly does equality look like? and
  2. What are the steps we take to get there?

Because think about it:

Who really knows what equality means?

Many well-meaning people make it about money. They assume that you get equality when people are paid the same. (Kind of a simplistic solution to a complex problem, but OK.)

Change is another nebulous term. Progressives love to invoke the word. But is change always for the better?

What to Know as the 2020 Election Season Approaches

In this week’s Intercollegiate Review, law professor Allen Mendenhall turns to the man of letters Russell Kirk to unpack what change and equality actually mean, and why they’re not the panaceas many think they are.

If you want to gain clarity about these words—and would like your friends to do the same—take a few minutes to gather the questions and insights in Mendenhall’s article.
 
Read Now

CATEGORY: GOVERNMENT (5 min)
 

The Not-So-Supreme Court


Did you know that the Supreme Court was never supposed to become, well, supreme?

The Founders never intended it to have the final say in whether something was constitutional or not.

In fact, they even designed the U.S. Constitution with tools to ensure that the Supreme Court didn’t become the final judge.

3 Ways to Keep the Courts in Line

In The Atlantic, political scientist Greg Weiner reveals the Constitution’s little-known defenses against judicial activism.

The truth is, both right and left are inclined to rely on the Supreme Court when they should be relying on something else: you and your fellow Americans.

Read Weiner’s article to learn:
  • the three options the Founders established for controlling the judiciary
     
  • the alternative to Supreme Court “rule”
     
Read Now
CATEGORY: LITERATURE (2 min)
 

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: Exile, Artist, Prophet


Thirty-nine years ago this month, a Russian writer named Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

A furious Soviet Union prevented him from receiving the prize.

A Legendary Writer and Critic

This week’s archive pull will give you a good sense as to why Solzhenitsyn was popular abroad but not at home.

Hit the button for a short bio and four powerful quotes by a man who knew too much.
 
Read Now
A free weekend conference for undergrads
Is identity politics actually helping us progress as a nation?

You won’t find good conversation about this topic on social media or in most classrooms, but you will find it at our free weekend conference in Fort Worth, Texas.

Join great speakers and thoughtful students as we dive deep into the nature and consequences of identity politics.

Spots are limited and going fast, so apply for yours now!
 
Apply Now
"There are so many who forget to think seriously till it is almost too late." Jane Austen

Share with Your Friends

Share
Tweet
Share
Forward

Who We Are, What We Do


Most thoughtful college students are sick of getting a shallow education in which too many viewpoints are shut out. We teach you the principles of liberty and plug you into a vibrant intellectual community so that you get the collegiate experience you hunger for.

Are you looking for an education and a community dedicated to preserving the principles and ideas worth saving? Learn more and get started with ISI today!
 
Start Learning
Our mailing address is:
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list