Liberal Democracy and Political Science

Do political scientists in a liberal democracy bear a special responsibility that goes beyond their academic persuits? In Liberal Democracy and Political Science James W. Ceaser, a well-known scholar or American political parties and the presidency, argues that they do, and he challenges collegues and students to re-examine what they do as political scientists.

Ceaser begins with the observation that liberal democracy is a compound of two elements not easily wed—constitutionalism and republi...