Raised right
Subtitle: fatherhood in modern American conservatism
By: Jeffrey R. Dudas
Series: The cultural lives of law; Cultural lives of law
Publisher: Stanford Law Books, an imprint of Stanford University Press; Stanford Law Books
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 207
ISBN-13: 9781503600188; 9781503601727
Subjects: Families; Family; Civil rights; Philosophy; Fathers and sons; Conservatism; Conservatives; Family relationships
Description: "How has the modern conservative movement thrived in spite of the lack of harmony among its constituent members? What, and who, holds together its large corporate interests, small-government libertarians, social and racial traditionalists, and evangelical Christians? Raised Right pursues these questions through a cultural study of three iconic conservative figures: National Review editor William F. Buckley, Jr., President Ronald Reagan, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Examining their papers, writings, and rhetoric, Jeffrey R. Dudas identifies what he terms a "paternal rights discourse"the arguments about fatherhood and rights that permeate their personal lives and political visions. For each, paternal discipline was crucial to producing autonomous citizens worthy and capable of self-governance. This paternalist logic is the cohesive agent for an entire conservative movement, uniting its celebration of "founding fathers," past and present, constitutional and biological. Yet this discourse produces a paradox: When do authoritative fathers transfer their rights to these well-raised citizens? This duality propels conservative politics forward with unruly results. The mythology of these American fathers gives conservatives something, and someone, to believe inand therein lies its timeless appeal." -- Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Raised right; title: Something to believe in : modern American conservatism and the paternal rights discourse; title: Penetrating the inner sanctum : William F. Buckley, Jr., paternal desire, and the rights of man; title: "The greatest nation on earth" : Ronald Reagan, fathers, and the rights of Americans; title: All the rage : Clarence Thomas, daddy, and the tragedy of rights; title: A nightmare walking : the haunting of modern American conservatism.