Wooster Professor Moderates Panel on C-SPAN

Jeff Roche and colleagues discuss 'Goldwater at 100: His Politics, Ideology, and Legacy'

Jeff Roche, professor of history at The College of Wooster, served as a moderator for a recent panel discussion at Arizona State University that will air on C-SPAN over the weekend. The two-hour session, which was recorded on Nov. 13, addressed "Goldwater at 100: His Politics, Ideology, and Legacy," a discussion about the life and times of the late Republican icon and one-time candidate for President, Barry Goldwater.

Roche, an expert on conservatism in America, was invited by Elizabeth Tandy Shermer, a faculty member at Claremont McKenna College and the author of a forthcoming book on Goldwater's conservatism.

"It was a very lively discussion as one might expect in a gathering of Goldwater scholars," said Roche, who also has a forthcoming book about conservatism. "Goldwater represented a certain style of conservatism in his day, but much has changed since then. He was a conservative icon on such issues as government and the military, but he was much more libertarian on social issues, like gay rights and the environment."

Hosted by the University Club in Tempe, Ariz., the event was sponsored by the Arizona Historical Foundation at ASU, where Goldwater's papers are archived. More than 40 scholars gathered for the session, including Barry Goldwater, Jr. "These are some of the best historians in the country," said Roche. "It's important for people to understand that Goldwater's political career reflects an evolving conservatism that has changed significantly over the years. I came away from the experience with a few ideas about where I want to take my own work."

If you miss the broadcast on Sunday, you can see it online at C-SPAN.org.