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Politics · Philosophy · History

Claes G. Ryn

Emeritus Professor of Politics, The Catholic University of America

Books

Major Works

The Failure of American Conservatism: And the Road Not Taken cover
Republic Book Publishers, 2023
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A Common Human Ground cover
Univ. of Missouri Press, exp. ed. 2019
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A Desperate Man cover
Athena Books, 2014
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The New Jacobinism cover
2nd ed., National Humanities Institute, 2011
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Conservatism Revisited cover
Transaction Publishers, 2005
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America the Virtuous cover
Transaction Publishers, 2003
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Will, Imagination and Reason cover
2nd exp. ed., Transaction Publishers, 1997
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Democracy and the Ethical Life cover
2nd exp. ed., C.U.A. Press, 1990
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Books Translated Into Chinese

Books Translated Into Chinese

异中求同：人的自我完善 (Unity Through Diversity) cover
异中求同：人的自我完善 (Unity Through Diversity: Human Self-Perfection)
Peking University Press — Vol. 16, Peking University Academic Lecture Series
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道德自负的美国 (America the Virtuous, Chinese translation) cover
道德自负的美国 (America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire)
Horizon Media
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A Selection

Essays & Journal Articles

Historicism & the Philosophy of History

The Imaginative Origins of Modernity: From Daydream to Nightmare Humanitas, 1997
Defining Historicism Humanitas, 1998
History as Synthesis Humanitas, 2000
Personalism and Value-Centered Historicism The Pluralist
Leo Strauss and History: The Philosopher as Conspirator Humanitas, 2005
History As Transcendence: What Leo Strauss Does Not Understand About Edmund Burke Humanitas, 2018

Power & Politics

The Politics of Transcendence: The Pretentious Passivity of Platonic Idealism Humanitas
A More Complete Realism: Grand Strategy in a New Key Humanitas, 2022
The Great Illusion: Foreign Policy Advocacy and the Problem of Knowledge Humanitas, 2021
Power Without Limits: The Allure of Political Idealism and the Crumbling of American Constitutionalism Humanitas, 2013
From Civilization to Manipulation: The Discrediting and Replacement of the Western Elite Humanitas, 2009
The Dimensions of Power: The Transformation of Liberalism and the Limits of Politics Humanitas
A Broader, Subtler View of Power Humanitas, 2001
Power Again Humanitas

Morality, Culture & Conservatism

How Desperate Should We Be? Humanitas, 2015
Political Morality Reconsidered: A Rejoinder Humanitas, 2015
How the Humanities Could Have Saved Conservatism Modern Age, 2023
Irving Babbitt and his Critics: How Traditionalists and Radicals Hampered an American Renaissance Humanitas, 2024

Forthcoming: “Autonomous Reason: The Source of Truth, Liberty, and Happiness?”, Modern Age, Fall 2026.

Edited volumes and monographs appear in the full C.V.