Active learning ideas
Conservatism at A-Level explores the tension between the desire to preserve established institutions and the necessity of 'changing to conserve.' Students examine the foundational belief in human imperfection, which leads conservatives to favour tradition and pragmatism over abstract theories or radical social engineering. The curriculum traces the evolution from the organic society of Edmund Burke to the radical individualism of the New Right, challenging students to identify the common threads that bind these seemingly disparate strands.
Activity 01
Set up four stations representing Traditional, One Nation, Neoliberal, and Neoconservative thought. At each station, small groups must identify a key thinker, a core policy example, and a quote, then explain how that station views 'human nature.'
Why do conservatives value tradition and pragmatism?
Activity 02
Divide the class into two teams representing Burkean Traditionalists and New Right Radicals. Debate the motion: 'This house believes that radical reform is more dangerous than stagnation,' using specific historical examples like the French Revolution or the 1980s miners' strike.
How does the New Right differ from traditional conservatism?
Activity 03
Students individually sketch a metaphor for the 'organic society' (e.g., a tree or a human body). They then pair up to explain how their metaphor justifies inequality and hierarchy before sharing the most effective analogies with the class.
What is the conservative view of human nature?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Conservatism is simply about keeping everything exactly the same.
Conservatives actually accept change but insist it must be pragmatic and gradual. Peer discussion around the phrase 'change to conserve' helps students see that institutions are updated to ensure their survival, not just out of stubbornness.
The New Right is entirely consistent with traditional conservatism.
The New Right contains a paradox between neoliberal economic freedom and neoconservative social authority. Using a Venn diagram activity helps students surface the contradictions between wanting a small state for the economy but a strong state for law and order.
Methods used in this brief
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