Empire of Ideals

Justin D. Garrison earned his doctorate in political theory from Catholic University. His research and teaching interests include political theory, American political thought, literature and politics, and aesthetics and politics.

• Introduction: The Enduring Appeal and Importance of Ronald Reagan’s Imagination. 1. Ronald Reagan: A Biographical Sketch 2. The Imagination: A Philosophical Elucidation 3. ‘A Talent for Happiness’: Ronald Reagan, Optimism, and Politics 4. ‘I Hear America Singing’: Ronald Reagan and the American People 5. ‘The Mystic Chords of Memory’: Ronald Reagan and the American Revolution 6. ‘Puzzle Palaces on the Potomac’: Ronald Reagan and Contemporary American Government 7. ‘A Crusade for Freedom’: Ronald Reagan and America’s Role in the World 8. ‘A Cathedral of Peace’: Ronald Reagan and Peace Among Nations 9. ‘The Land of Limitless Possibilities’: Ronald Reagan, Progress, Technology, and America 10. ‘A Shining City Upon a Hill’: Ronald Reagan, Religion, and America. Conclusion: An Empire of Illusions? The Chimeric Imagination of Ronald Reagan

"Garrison has produced the most penetrating and finest analysis of Ronald Reagan’s rhetoric. His findings are bound to surprise many and even shock some."—George W. Carey, Georgetown University"Justin Garrison's highly original work explodes conventional categorizations about Ronald Reagan's politics and governing philosophy. Using Reagan's own words, Garrison makes the provocative, yet ultimately convincing, case that the icon of modern conservatism was actually an adherent of the ideas of a variety of thinkers, including even leading progressive ones. I commend this work to scholars and students of the presidency, rhetoric, and political philosophy."—Mark J. Rozell, George Mason University