LEO STRAUSS, NEO-CONSERVATISM, AND AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

Undergraduate

This course examines the political thought of one of North America’s most influential political theorists and its impact on the foreign policy decisions of recent American administrations. It focuses on Strauss’s teaching, the school of thought that bears his name, the formative influence of Straussian thought on neo-conservatism, the entry of Straussians into positions of political power, and the impact of this development on American foreign policy, especially as it relates to Iraq and the War on Terror. This extended investigation will speak to the central and abiding tension between politics and truth. PREREQUISITE: Political Science 2530 or permission of the instructor Seminar: Three hours a week