Document Type
Thesis
Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2026
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Committee Chair
Dr. Josue Estrada
Second Committee Member
Dr. Roxanne Easley
Third Committee Member
Dr. Daniel Herman
Abstract
This thesis explores how foreign policy shaped and destabilized the conservative coalition during the Reagan era. Although historians often portray the conservative movement of the 1980s as unified by anti-communism, this study argues that foreign policy debates exposed significant ideological divisions between neoconservatives, evangelical Christians, and the broader conservative base. These groups shared common goals but disagreed over the moral and strategic direction of American foreign policy. Neoconservatives and evangelical Christians wanted the same muscular assertion of American power abroad, but the factions framed foreign policy differently to appeal to their supporters. These policies and aggressive anti-Soviet rhetoric struck widespread fear among the American population, forcing conservative and evangelical leaders to consolidate their base and attempt to rally support for Reagan. Through peer-reviewed journal articles, academic literature, speeches, and government reports, this thesis shows that foreign policy disagreements weakened the cohesion of the conservative coalition and contributed to the fragmentation of American conservatism in the late twentieth century.
Recommended Citation
Kissel, Emily B., "Contesting Conservatism: Neoconservatives, Evangelicals, and Foreign Policy in the Reagan Era" (2026). All Master's Theses. 2302.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/2302