Friday, September 08, 2006

By Joy Camille Davis, UNCW Marketing and Communications Intern

WILMINGTON, N.C. - A new book by Robert Brent Toplin, University of North Carolina Wilmington professor of history, Radical Conservatism, the Right's Political Religion argues that conservatism has taken a decidedly radical turn.

According to Toplin, "What goes by the description of 'conservatism' these days is a far cry from its past incarnations. Forget the legacy of moderate conservatism promoted by President Dwight Eisenhower. Today's conservatism appeals to militant 'True Believers'."

Toplin offers an intriguing critique of this fast-growing movement that resembles religious fundamentalism - a rigid true believer's mindset that dismisses opposing views and leaves almost no room for dialogue. Toplin observes that the right's orthodox approach represents a significant rejection of the more open-minded and practical outlook that characterized both liberal and conservative politics in earlier years.

Lewis Gould, author of Grand Old Party: A History of Republicans, praised Toplin's book, "A vigorous and well-documented critique of the ruling assumptions and intellectual arguments of many of the leading figures among American conservatives; it will spark debate from Toplin's targets and supply ammunition for critics of dogmatic thinking on the right. Lively and hard-hitting, it also provides students with the basis for many stimulating exchanges in and out of the classroom."

Toplin received his undergraduate degree in psychology at Penn State University and a Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University. Recipient of numerous grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Philosophical Society, the Annenberg/CPB Project, the Ford Foundation, and other institutions, he has authored or edited 12 books and published a wide variety of articles in such journals and newspapers as The New York Times, Chronicle of Higher Education, the American Historical Review and more. He has also created several nationally-aired historical dramas on PBS Television and the Disney Channel. His expertise has led to over 25 appearances as a commentator on programs featured on Turner Classic Movie Channel, PBS Television, The History Channel, CBS Television, and C-SPAN.

To order a media review copy: Susan Schott sshott@ku.edu

To reach Robert Brent Toplin: toplinrb@uncw.edu or cell phone: 434.989.3564

Media Contact: Kim Proukou, UNCW Marketing and Communications proukouk@uncw.edu, 910.962.4109

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