Friedrich Merz, the new German Chancellor, has come into office at a time of political uncertainty and economic stagnation. His coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD is a pragmatic one, but will it prove to be more stable than the "traffic light" coalition of Olaf Scholz, his predecessor? In the election of February 2025, the right wing extremist AfD doubled its share in the election - (how) will Merz manage to curb its growing influence?

In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, scholars, activists, and politicians have engaged in profound debates about the nature of Islamic governance and its relevance to contemporary justice. While many discussions focus on the roots of governance in early Islam, they are often shaped by a primarily fiqh-centric perspective, which emphasises jurisprudence and tradition while neglecting the political and legal realities of the time.

The Oxford Conservative Thought (OCT) Reading Group is a non-partisan group devoted to academic exploration of small-c conservative political thought. We welcome, and actively encourage, viewpoint diversity and constructive engagement across ideological divides (all good-willed participants are welcome!)

Each week we read one assigned text, and we recommend more for anyone who is very keen!

The OCT meets weekly in term time on Fridays from 4-5:30pm.

Week 6 explores conservative views on liberty, with a reading from Edward Feser.

As the liberal international order weakens, anti-pluralist leaders and movements seek to capture states & societies. At the same time, more (and less) vigorous coalitions for open societies are challenging the global anti-pluralist turn. This pattern involves multiple actors, norms, pressures and processes which can and should be compared to better understand this acute global challenge.