Movement conservatism and the attack on ethnic studies

This article offers a critical examination of the role that conservative corporate philanthropy played in initiating the assault against the Ethnic Studies discipline during the Academic Culture Wars of the 1980s and 1990s. This research focuses on the development of movement conservatism as an emerging political force that brought together conservative political philosophy with corporate money support with the aim of undermining and dismantling any curricula and discourse which challenged ‘American culture and values.’ Although unsuccessful in eliminating Ethnic Studies programs, the merger between conservative politics and corporate philanthropy was legitimized resulting in a new form of conservative action and activism.