The best of intellectual conservative thought, every Thursday. Subscribe here to receive the Intercollegiate Review in your inbox every week.

CATEGORY: ECONOMIC CONSERVATISM (15 min)

Fighting Woke Capital

What does a humane economy look like in America today?

J. D. Vance, author of #1 bestseller Hillbilly Elegy and potential candidate for the U.S. Senate, has a straightforward answer:

It’s an economy where every American can “live a good life in the country they call their own [and] raise a family in dignity on a single middle-class job.”

That sounds a lot like the economy our grandparents had.

So what changed?

There are a lot of factors, but one clearly stands out to Vance: the rise of “woke capital.”

Woke capital is what happens when business and industry leaders use their power to undermine human dignity, liberty, and the family.

Read this transcript of Vance’s recent speech to learn how conservatives lost the last institution they ever dreamed would lean left.

Vance is not afraid to name names.

And he gives concrete ideas on how to combat woke capital that you don’t want to miss.

You can hear J. D. Vance discuss how conservatives need to address our current crisis at ISI’s Future of American Political Economy Conference on July 23–24.

CATEGORY: FREE SPEECH (25 min)

How to Defend Free Speech

You know how bad cancel culture has gotten, especially on college campuses.

But do you know where it came from?

The war over free speech goes back a long way . . . 

 . . . and if you want to push back against cancel culture, you need to understand its origins.

From Relativism to Political Correctness

Writing for National Affairs, Tevi Troy traces those origins. He also highlights key insights you need to apply in our current moment.

Troy explains:

• How 2014 marked a new era of censorship and suppression
• Why The Closing of the American Mind didn’t even mention political correctness
• The moment conservatives realized political correctness had taken over higher education
• How an obscure report from 1984 gives a timeless defense of free expression
• Why conservatives declared victory over PC in the 1990s—and why that was a terrible mistake

Troy’s account of free-speech wars past is a masterclass that you need to read.

Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.

Cornell Must Cancel Dual-Degree Program with Peking University via the Cornell Review

Student Who Started Petition to Reverse College’s Vaccine Mandate Speaks Out via the Crimson Post

CATEGORY: LEISURE (4 min)

A Leisureless Summer Is a Wasted Summer

What are your summer plans?

Whether these next few months are filled with summer jobs, classes, vacations, or just lounging by the pool, you’ll probably find yourself with some much-needed time for leisure.

And Dr. R. J. Snell wants to make sure you don’t waste your idle time.

But wait. How can you waste idle time?

Snell explains that idle time is wasted when it doesn’t serve an end in itself.

This summer, dedicate your idle time to some leisure for its own sake. Snell thinks it’ll help you live the good life well into the fall.

This article is a seasonal favorite filled with tips on how to enjoy some delightful idling.

The Future of American Political Economy Conference, July 23–24

J. D. Vance isn’t the only one calling for a new conservative approach to today’s economic problems.

Woke capital, globalization, and a dwindling middle class are interconnected threats that conservatives need to confront.

That’s why ISI is hosting The Future of American Political Economy Conference July 23–24 in Alexandria, Virginia.

During this weekend conference, you’ll hear from an all-star roster of conservative thinkers as they discuss solutions to the threats of Big Tech censorship, our trade relationship with China, and a market economy that seems increasingly anti-family.

If you’re currently a student, admission is free! And if you’re under 30, registration is only $50.

Reserve your spot now!

In addition to Vance, you’ll get to hear prominent speakers like:

• Senator Marco Rubio

• Amity Shlaes, bestselling author of The Forgotten Man and Coolidge

• Jeff Sessions, former U.S. attorney general

• Judge Neomi Rao

•  . . . and nearly 20 others!

It’s time to stop talking past each other and start doing the hard work of creating a new conservative consensus about how our economy can better advance the safety and happiness of the American people.

“Remove justice, then, and what are kingdoms but large gangs of robbers?”
―St. Augustine

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