Alexander Jacobs

Senior Lecturer of Culture, Advocacy, and Leadership

I’m an historian of American thought and culture, mostly though not exclusively in the Cold War era. My research and teaching focuses on the intersections of political culture, religion, and social criticism. I also conduct research in the nature of historical inquiry and the intellectual history of violence.

I’m currently revising a book titled, The American Counter-Enlightenment: Social Critics and the Uses of Conservatism, which explores the use of romantic and counter-revolutionary ideas in “contrarian” social thought. Future projects include a study of the problem of evil in twentieth century American culture, a history of moral arguments over bombing civilians in wartime, and a synthetic study of the connections between conspiracy culture, metaphysical religions, and social thought.

My approach to American Studies blends my training as a historian of culture with methods and ideas drawn from philosophy, sociology, and cultural studies.