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The Rockford Institute was an
American conservative Conservatism in the United States is a political and social philosophy based on a belief in limited government, individualism, traditionalism, republicanism, and limited federal governmental power in relation to U.S. states. Conser ...
think-tank associated with
paleoconservatism Paleoconservatism is a political philosophy and variety of conservatism in the United States stressing American nationalism, Christian ethics, regionalism, and traditionalist conservatism. Paleoconservatism's concerns overlap with those of the ...
, based in
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...
. It ran the John Randolph Club and published the magazine ''Chronicles''. In early 2019, the Rockford Institute merged with the Charlemagne Institute (renamed from Intellectual Takeout in 2018), which became the new publisher of ''Chronicles''. , Devin C. Foley is listed as the institute's chief executive officer. The Charlemagne Institute describes itself as "leading a cultural movement to defend and advance Western Civilization, the foundation of our American republic." ''Chronicles'' peaked in the 1990sE. Christian Kopff
Chronicles
''First Principles''. 2010 September 3.
and helped shape the paleoconservative revival that accompanied
Patrick Buchanan Patrick Joseph Buchanan (; born November 2, 1938) is an American paleoconservative political commentator, columnist, politician, and broadcaster. Buchanan was an assistant and special consultant to U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, a ...
's 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns. At its peak, it had 15,000 subscribers. As of September, 2016, there were 6,700 subscribers.


History

The institute was founded in 1976 by
Rockford College Rockford or Rockfords may refer to: Places United States * Rockford, Illinois, a city, the largest municipality of this name *Rockford, Alabama, a town * Rockford, Idaho, a census-designated place * Rockford metropolitan area, Illinois, a United S ...
president John A. Howard as a response to American social changes of the 1960s. Allan Carlson served as president until 1997. He and Howard left to found The
Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society is a socially conservative U.S. think-tank and advocacy group that opposes abortion, divorce, and homosexuality, promoting instead the "child-rich, married parent" family. History The Howard Cente ...
which opposes
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
,
divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
, and homosexuality, promoting instead the "child-rich, married parent" family., an offshoot of the Rockford Institute. It was located in
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...
. Thomas Fleming, editor of ''Chronicles'', succeeded Carlson as president of the Rockford Institute. The institute also retained the Ingersoll Prize. In 1988 the institute and
Richard John Neuhaus Richard John Neuhaus (May 14, 1936–January 8, 2009) was a prominent Christian cleric (first in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, then ELCA pastor and later as a Catholic priest) and writer. Born in Canada, Neuhaus moved to the United Sta ...
, a Lutheran pastor, invited Cardinal Ratzinger to give a lecture in New York in January. On May 5, 1989, Neuhaus and his Religion and Society Center were evicted from the institute's New York office after he complained about what he said were "the racist and anti-Semitic tones" of ''Chronicles''. The charge, which was supported by other leading conservatives, was denied by the institute. They said the office, called Rockford East, was closed for budgetary reasons and because of concerns that Neuhaus was not following institute policies. According to political commentator
David Frum David Jeffrey Frum (; born June 30, 1960) is a Canadian-American political commentator and a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, who is currently a senior editor at ''The Atlantic'' as well as an MSNBC contributor. In 2003, Frum au ...
, the split was seen by leading conservatives as a sign of the division between the paleoconservative and the neo-conservative elements of the movement.


''Chronicles'' magazine

''Chronicles'' is a U.S. monthly magazine published by the Rockford Institute. Its full current name is ''Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture''. The magazine is known for promoting anti-globalism, anti-intervention, and anti-immigration stances within conservative politics, and is considered one of the leading
paleoconservative Paleoconservatism is a political philosophy and variety of conservatism in the United States stressing American nationalism, Christian ethics, regionalism, and traditionalist conservatism. Paleoconservatism's concerns overlap with those of the ...
publications. (It has also published libertarians and even leftists, such as Erwin Knoll and
Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal (; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and ...
.) In 2000, James Warren at ''
The Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' commented that "There are few publications more cerebral than Chronicles". , the executive editor was Aaron D. Wolf and, , Srđa Trifković was editor for foreign affairs. Contributors over the years have included the conservative activist Peter Gemma, now living in
Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. , its website names
Paul Gottfried Paul Edward Gottfried (born November 21, 1941) is an American paleoconservative political philosopher, historian, and writer. He is a former Professor of Humanities at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is editor-in-chief of the paleocons ...
as its Interim Editor-in-Chief and Edmund Welsch as Executive Editor, and was hosted by (and listed as a programme of) the
Charlemagne Institute The Rockford Institute was an conservatism in the United States, American conservative think-tank associated with paleoconservatism, based in Rockford, Illinois. It ran the John Randolph Club and published the magazine ''Chronicles''. In early 201 ...
. Chronicles also promoted the activities of the
John Randolph Club The Rockford Institute was an American conservative think-tank associated with paleoconservatism, based in Rockford, Illinois. It ran the John Randolph Club and published the magazine ''Chronicles''. In early 2019, the Rockford Institute merged w ...
(1989-1995), a project of the Rockford Institute to promote dialogue and alliances between paleoconservatives and paleolibertarians.


Editors

*
Leopold Tyrmand Leopold Tyrmand (May 16, 1920 – March 19, 1985) was a Polish novelist, writer, and editor. Tyrmand emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1966, and five years later married an American, Mary Ellen Fox. He served as editor of an anti-com ...
1977-1985"A brief history of ''Chronicles''" by E. Christian Kopff
''First Principles Journal''
Wayback machine link
* Thomas Fleming, 1985–2015 * Chilton Williamson, Jr., 2015–2019 (also acting president of the Rockford Institute)Chilton Williamson, Jr.
, chroniclesmagazine.org. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
Chilton Williamson, Jr.
, crisismagazine.com. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
*
Paul Gottfried Paul Edward Gottfried (born November 21, 1941) is an American paleoconservative political philosopher, historian, and writer. He is a former Professor of Humanities at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is editor-in-chief of the paleocons ...
, 2019–


References


External links

*Previous versions of the Rockford Institute website ** — combination of Rockford Institute, ''Chronicles'', and the Center for International Affairs up to 2002 ** — official website up to 2012
Chronicles Magazine web site"A brief history of ''Chronicles''" by E. Christian Kopff
''First Principles Journal''
Wayback machine link
{{Authority control 1976 establishments in Illinois Culture of Rockford, Illinois Political and economic think tanks in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Illinois Paleoconservative organizations Conservative organizations in the United States