Conversations with Bill Kristol

Professor Emeritus of Classics and History at Yale University, Donald Kagan is a preeminent historian of both the ancient and modern worlds. In this conversation, Kagan and Kristol discuss what humanity's greatest wars—from the Peloponnesian War to World War II—can teach us about the nature of war and the sources of human conflict. Kagan also discusses his education in history at Brooklyn College, his groundbreaking work on Thucydides, and his distinguished teaching career at Yale. Finally, Kristol and Kagan discuss the state of the study of history and the liberal arts more generally in America today.

Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Peter Berkowitz is a leading scholar of political philosophy and American politics. In the conversation, Berkowitz discusses how our universities—due to a combination of political correctness and professional specialization—have neglected their core mission. Berkowitz and Kristol also consider what might be done to educate students where universities fail at the task. Finally, Berkowitz discusses his experience teaching liberal arts and fighting for their preservation on campus.

Executive Editor of The Weekly Standard, Fred Barnes is one of America’s most respected political commentators. In this conversation, Barnes reflects on key figures and events from his forty years of covering Washington, including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Jack Kemp, and George W. Bush. Kristol and Barnes also discuss the rise of cable political commentary and Barnes' contribution to it from The McLaughlin Group to The Beltway Boys and Special Report.

The fourth conversation in our ongoing series with the distinguished Harvard political philosopher considers the political philosopher Leo Strauss (1899 - 1973) and the "Straussian school" of philosophy he founded. Mansfield and Kristol discuss key themes in Strauss's work, including esoteric writing, the quarrel between Ancients and Moderns, and the theological-political problem. Mansfield also reflects on three outstanding students of Strauss: Seth Benardete, Allan Bloom, and Ernest Fortin.

An activist and former policy advisor to Ronald Reagan, Gary Bauer has been at the center of conservative policy battles for over three decades. In this conversation, Bauer recalls how he first became interested in politics as a teenager fighting corruption in Northern Kentucky. Kristol and Bauer also discuss Bauer’s advocacy of conservative principles in domestic and foreign affairs from the Reagan era until today. Considering contemporary American politics, Bauer argues for a reinvigorated, pro-Main Street conservatism.