120 – Why Associations Matter with Luke Sheahan
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Release Date: 12/06/2022
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
The conservative tradition embodies centuries of accumulated wisdom from some of the brightest and most inspiring thinkers you’ll find. Yet for the young conservative eager to learn more about this tradition, choosing which books to read can be a daunting task. Most online lists of top conservative books contain familiar titles of classic tomes that inspire and challenge readers to this day. Yet far too often such lists also include authors such as Charlie Kirk, Ann Coulter, Sebastian Gorka, Dinesh D’Souza, Dan Bongino, and Mike Lindell who, while they may be gifted at...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
The conservative tradition embodies centuries of accumulated wisdom from some of the brightest and most inspiring thinkers you’ll find. Yet for the young conservative eager to learn more about this tradition, choosing which books to read can be a daunting task. Most online lists of top conservative books contain familiar titles of classic tomes that inspire and challenge readers to this day. Yet far too often such lists also include authors such as Charlie Kirk, Ann Coulter, Sebastian Gorka, Dinesh D’Souza, Dan Bongino, and Mike Lindell who, while they may be gifted at...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
In response to America’s rapidly polarizing political divide a number of organizations have developed to try and turn down the heat. is the nation’s largest movement dedicated to bridging the partisan gap. Their website boasts that they are “equally balanced between conservatives and progressives at every level of leadership”. Back in episode , with Braver Angels joined Josh to discuss how we might develop our sense of curiosity to bridge the partisanships. Mónica comes from the Left. In this episode Josh welcomes Elizabeth Doll with Braver Angels who...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Populism is on the rise today—or so we’re told. But what is populism? Is it something to be feared or should it only be concerning to those dastardly elites? Is populism a political movement of the Left or the Right? Is it only a phenomenon of the politics of today, or has populism existed in some form throughout our nation’s history? Does populism protect the individual from powerful interests or endanger our liberties? How does populism fit into the conservative tradition? Josh is joined by Shikha Dalmia of the Mercatus Center at George Mason...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
1st Baron Acton, 13th Marquess of Groppoli, John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton who, for obvious reasons, is more commonly referred to as simply Lord Acton, was a 19th century writer, historian, and member of the British parliament whose contributions to history, faith, and politics are largely forgotten beyond his most famous quote: “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Joining Josh to explore just why Acton was important and why he’s worth studying today is Dan Hugger from the apply named . About Dan Hugger From Dan’s : Dan Hugger is...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Late last year Jonathan Cole had Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis on his podcast, , to talk about the quirkiness of American conservatism, the rise of the NatCons, and whether there’s any hope for Josh’s brand of fusionist conservatism in the future. The conversation was simply too good not to share, so here is a re-podcast of Jonathan’s original episode. About Jonathan Cole From : Dr Jonathan Cole is a scholar, writer, translator and lecturer specializing in political theology—the intersection between religion and politics. He is currently Assistant Director of...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
While Saving Elephants is targeted to younger Americans, more and more Millennials cannot be counted among “the kids these days”. Today’s college students belong to Gen Z, and they are coming of age in one of the most turbulent political shifts and ideological realignments over the past half century. What are conservatives to make of this next generation? What challenges and opportunities do they present? Joining Josh to delve into this and more is Scott Howard, Gen Z representative and student at the University of Florida who possesses a remarkably Reaganite...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
In 1953 sociologist Robert Nisbet published his most famous work , arguing for the necessity of association to the human experience and the harm inflicted upon communities when they are deprived of their function. Traditional conservatism has long upheld Nisbet’s teachings as a reminder that we are not purely material beings with strictly economic interests. Josh welcomes Luke Sheahan to this episode to discuss his efforts to pick up where Nisbet left off in fighting for the viability and flourishing of human associations, how the courts have gotten off-kilter in rulings...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
What is the great economic challenge of our times? Is it inflation? Rising inequality? Artificially low interest rates? Economist David Bahnsen joins Josh to discuss why excessive government debt and our slow-growth or no-growth economy risks the Japanification of the United States. While some warn of a financial apocalypse, David argues that a more realistic threat is continued lack of productive output and increasing discontents if we don’t reverse course. Also discussed are how supply side economists can respond to the Left’s critiques of the free...
info_outlineSaving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Mónica Guzmán joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis as they reach across the political divide to explore how the Left and Right might better engage one another in respectful debate. Mónica shares her experiences as a liberal living in deep, blue Seattle yet grappling with her immigrant parent’s support for Trump. They also discuss the limitations of reason to resolve our differences, why viewing people as complex and not merely complicated helps us bridge divides, and why Mónica has hope for a brighter future. About Mónica Guzmán Per her , Mónica Guzmán is Senior...
info_outlineIn 1953 sociologist Robert Nisbet published his most famous work The Quest for Community, arguing for the necessity of association to the human experience and the harm inflicted upon communities when they are deprived of their function. Traditional conservatism has long upheld Nisbet’s teachings as a reminder that we are not purely material beings with strictly economic interests. Josh welcomes Luke Sheahan to this episode to discuss his efforts to pick up where Nisbet left off in fighting for the viability and flourishing of human associations, how the courts have gotten off-kilter in rulings regarding our freedom to associate, and why associations matter to each and every one of us.
About Luke Sheahan
From Luke’s website: Luke Sheahan is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Duquesne University and a Non-Resident Scholar at the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society (PRRUCS) at the University of Pennsylvania. He researches the intersection of First Amendment rights and political theory. Sheahan’s scholarly articles and reviews have appeared in The Political Science Reviewer, Humanitas, Anamnesis, and The Journal of Value Inquiry and he has lectured widely on religious liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of association. He is author of Why Associations Matter: The Case for First Amendment Pluralism. He is writing a second book tentatively titled “Pluralism and Toleration: Difference, Justice, and the Social Group.”
From 2018-2019, Sheahan was Associate Director and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College and from 2016-2018, Sheahan was a Postdoctoral Associate and Research Fellow in the Department of Political Science at Duke University. He received a PhD and MA in political theory from the Catholic University of America and a B.S. in political science from the Honors College at Oregon State University. He is a five-time recipient of the Humane Studies Fellowship from the Institute for Humane Studies, a 2014 recipient of the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), and a 2018 recipient of the Leonard P. Liggio Memorial Fellowship.
In July of this year the Russell Kirk Center announced the appointment of Dr. Luke C. Sheahan as the fifth editor in the history of The University Bookman, originally established by none other than Russell Kirk, seeking to redeem the time by identifying and discussing those books that diagnose the modern age and support the renewal of culture and the common good.
You can follow Luke on Twitter @lsheahan