The Rise and Fall of Neoconservatism

Neoconservatism is perhaps the slipperiest of current intellectual trends. Its adherents downplay the term itself, calling neoconservatism variously a "persuasion," a "mode of thinking," or even a "mood." Our lead essayist this month begs to differ. Drawing on his recent book An Obituary for an Idea, C. Bradley Thompson claims that the thinking of two individuals illuminates nearly all of what we know today as neoconservatism. Those individuals are Irving Kristol and Leo Strauss, featured prominently on this month's banner art.Here to discuss this month are political theorist Patrick Deneen of Georgetown University, philosopher Douglas Rasmussen of St. John's University, and journalist and author Damon Linker of Newsweek/The Daily Beast, noted for his keen eye on the American right.