Claremont Institute

The Claremont Institute is a conservative think tank based in Claremont, California. The institute was founded in 1979 at the Claremont Colleges. Its leading scholar is Harry V. Jaffa, a professor at Claremont McKenna College and the Claremont Graduate University. Its current Vice President is Thomas Krannawitter, a recent graduate of the college.

Related Topics:
Conservative - Think tank - Claremont, California - 1979 - Claremont Colleges - Harry V. Jaffa - Claremont McKenna College - Claremont Graduate University - Thomas Krannawitter

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The institute publishes a quarterly literary magazine entitled the Claremont Review of Books and as publications of its own, mostly Jaffa's works. It is known for espousing a legal philosophy called Declarationism whereby the United States Declaration of Independence is treated as a legal document and component of the government's organizing doctrines along side the United States Constitution. Most of the Institute's members are followers of the teachings of Leo Strauss including Jaffa, who was a student of Strauss.

Related Topics:
Claremont Review of Books - Declarationism - United States Declaration of Independence - United States Constitution - Leo Strauss

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The Institute calls its neo-conservative philosophy "Claremont Conservatism." This philosophy encompasses the Institute's interpretations of historical figures, particularly the American Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill.http://www.claremont.org/weblog/002346.html Uncommon for a conservative organization, the Claremont Institute tends to reject the constitutional philosophy of strict constructionism and often publishes material that is critical or derisive of conservative strict constructionists such as Robert Bork, William Rehnquist, and Antonin Scalia.http://www.claremont.org/writings/980212jaffa.html http://www.claremont.org/writings/000106krannawitter.html

Related Topics:
Abraham Lincoln - Winston Churchill - Strict constructionism - Robert Bork - William Rehnquist - Antonin Scalia

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According to some Institute writers, their legal philosophy is closer to that of Clarence Thomas, although outside of the Institute Thomas is widely considered a strict constructionist in the model of Scalia.http://www.claremont.org/writings/991001morel.html

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The Institute has a variety of nicknames, some derisive and others embraced willingly, including Super-Hawks, Jaffanese Americans, Claremonsters, Lincoln Conservatives, and Claremontistas.http://www.claremont.org/weblog/002346.html http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/007148.html

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