Peter Lawler

So here’s what I’ve written so far about Tocqueville for tomorrow’s panel at 8 (just in case you wont be there): Tocqueville called the effect of democracy on the heart individualism—by which he meant apathetic withdrawal from larger communities into a narrow circle of . . . . Continue Reading »

1. Also appearing in the most recent PERSPECTIVES ON POLITICAL SCIENCE is a most relevant and insightful article by one of our country’s most distinguished public intellectuals, Irving Louis Horowitz: “Legalism as an Executive Ideology: Foundations of Barack Obama’s Leadership . . . . Continue Reading »

So it’s been called to my attention that I forgot to shamelessly promote the July-September issue of PERSPECTIVES ON POLITICAL SCIENCE. Well, it’s one of the best issues ever. There’s a symposium on the dazzling and genuinely original political thought of David Walsh, edited by . . . . Continue Reading »

People are taking Ayn Rand seriously—as a guide to who we are and what we’re supposed to do—again. But she has to be the worst self-help guide ever. As this pithy but deep analysis shows, she’s all about self-deceptive and self-destructive liberation from who we are by . . . . Continue Reading »

So I thought I’d link the astute Pete S.’s analysis on why Obama will probably prevail in 2012, even if the economy doesn’t rebound in some Reaganesque way. Pete, ever the statesman, adds that the Republicans could still win with a persuasive message, an articulate, attractive, . . . . Continue Reading »

So here’s a dramatically out-of-context excerpt from my Whitman presentation. Whitman explains that “the democratic republican principle” is “the theory of development and perfection by voluntary standards.” So that principle is less about perfecting the institutions of . . . . Continue Reading »

Let me share just one paragraph of my presentation at the APSA with you. More than that would undermine your incentive to get up early on Sunday. It often seems as if America’s Lockean foundation offered our country a kind of stability that was undermined by the Darwinian theory about the . . . . Continue Reading »

So I’ve been criticized for not saying enough bad things about President Obama or commenting on this election season. Well, my analysis of the generic D vs. R poll and the particular races suggests that it’s extremely likely that the Republicans will take over the House. Two points of . . . . Continue Reading »

So you’ve been wondering whether and when you’ll get to hear me at the political science convention in DC over the Labor Day Weekend. The great news is that I’m part of three excellent shows. The bad is that two of them are that the worst conceivable times—8 a.m. Thursday . . . . Continue Reading »

The really nice website (thanks to Marc Guerra and his Ave Maria crew) is up. The schedule for the first conference is still somewhat tentative. But we’re having seven great shows over a two-day period. Please email me for further details. . . . . Continue Reading »