Program in American Democracy

The Program in American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame seeks to further the understanding of democratic politics and policy making in the United States. Toward that end, the Program promotes and facilitates research, teaching, and other activities which explore and assess the quality of American democracy. We aim to create a uniquely identifiable approach to the study of American democracy characterized by thoughtful focus on broad, important substantive concerns and state-of-the art, systematic scholarly inquiry. Established in 2001 by faculty in the Department of Political Science, the Program in American Democracy aims to foster an exciting intellectual environment that engages and supports salient research and teaching activities among Notre Dame faculty and graduate students. The Program also seeks to enhance the engagement of Notre Dame undergraduate students with questions of democracy, and it encourages them to consider lives in public service and leadership.

The Politics of Democratic Inclusion

The Program is particularly, but not exclusively, interested in supporting activities related to two themes. The first theme, Politics of Democratic Inclusion, focuses on the ways in which the American political system accommodates social diversity, with particular emphasis on representation and participation. The Program thus supports efforts to understand how, why, and with what consequences American society and its political institutions foster and/or hinder the political incorporation of an increasingly diverse population. To this end, the Program has sponsored various speakers, as well as related conferences, such as The Politics of Democratic Inclusion (October 2002) and Political Women and American Democracy (May 2006).

Leadership, Citizenship, and Public Service

A second theme, Leadership, Citizenship, and Public Service, focuses on the sources, characteristics, and consequences of political leadership for American democracy. The Program encourages research exploring the variety, qualities, and functions of leadership roles within American democracy. The Program also supports efforts to educate Notre Dame undergraduates as citizens and leaders for an expanding American democracy, complementing and working with other Notre Dame Programs, such as the Hesburgh Program in Public Service and the Washington Program. These programs provide opportunities to benefit from Notre Dame facilities in Washington D.C. and to link more closely the substance of research and teaching.

Conferences

The Program presently supports several activities consistent with these objectives. In Fall 2002, the Program hosted its inaugural conference, The Politics of Democratic Inclusion. The conference examined how those traditionally excluded from political power seek and achieve political incorporation in the United States. The resulting volume, The Politics of Democratic Inclusion (Temple University Press, 2005) was edited by Christina Wolbrecht and Rodney E. Hero, with Peri A. Arnold and Alvin B. Tillery.

A grant from the Annenberg Foundation is supporting several additional conferences. In December 2005, the Program hosted A Matter of Faith? Religion and the 2004 Presidential Election, bringing together the nation’s leading scholars of religion and politics discussing whether religion shaped the 2004 election and, if so, how its influence was felt. In May 2006, a conference entitled Political Women and American Democracy provided an opportunity to consider the many ways in which women act and interact politically in American democracy. We have cosponsored a number of other conferences and speakers as well.

Other Events and Programs

The Program in American Democracy sponsors a Speakers Series which brings in a number of scholars from outside institutions every year to speak to faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and the broader community on issues related to the quality of American Democracy. A full schedule is available on the Series website. The Program also sponsors a series of research workshops where Notre Dame faculty and graduate students present and receive feedback on research related to American politics. A working paper series highlights the research being done by faculty and graduate students affiliated with the Program in American Democracy.

Future Plans

In addition to current activities, we envision developing a number of additional programs in coming years. Faculty affiliated with the Program in American Democracy are drawn primarily from the Notre Dame Department of Political Science.