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William Crotty

Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Chair in Public Life and Emeritus Professor of Political Science

William Crotty is the Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Chair in Public Life and Emeritus Professor of Political Science. His research interests include democratization and political representation.  He has been a recipient of the Samuel J. Eldersveld Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Political Science Association’s Political Organization and Parties Section and served as president of the Midwest Political Science Association.

He has published a number of studies including those organizing and providing the primary analyses of the presidential elections between 1992 and 2020. Recent publications include The Presidential Election of 2020: Donald Trump and the Crisis of Democracy (Lexington Books 2023); Winning the Presidency 2016 (Routledge 2017); Polarized Politics: The Impact of Divisiveness in the US Political System (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2015); Winning the Presidency 2012 (Paradigm Publishers, 2013); The Obama Presidency: Promise and Performance (Lexington Books, 2012); and Handbook of Party Politics (Sage Publications, 2006) with Richard S. Katz.

Several of Crotty’s publications have been recognized by CHOICE, the Academic Library Association, for their notable scholarly contributions. They described Crotty’s The Politics of Terror: The U.S. Response to 9/11 as an Outstanding Academic Title, “essential”, “required reading for all Americans.”

He has visited a number of countries as a member of groups assessing their democratic performance in elections, including leading a United Nations delegation in assessing Nelson Mandela’s election in South Africa. Among others were Chile, Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Northern Ireland and Great Britain. He has observed the impact of dictatorships such as those in the former East Germany, Chile under Pinochet and in various Latin American countries.

He previously was Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University for nearly 30 years. He also served as Co-Director of the Task Force on Political Assassination, National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence, 1968-1969, and served on the McGovern-Fraser Reform Commission revolutionizing the standards for voting in Democratic primaries, 1969-1972.

Awards and Honors

Crotty has been a recipient of the Samuel J. Eldersveld Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Political Science Association’s Political Organization and Parties Section; past president of the Midwest Political Science Association; past president of the Policy Studies Organization; Chair of the Executive Council of the New England Political Science Association (2013-2014); member of the General Council, Northeastern Political Science Association (2012-2014); served on the McGovern-Fraser Reform Commission revolutionizing the standards for voting in Democratic primaries, 1969-1972; Executive Director, Freedom to Vote Task Force (under the Chairmanship of former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, 1969-1970; and Co-Director of the Task Force on Political Assassination, National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence, 1968-1969.

  • The Presidential Election of 2020: Donald Trump and the Crisis of Democracy. Latham, MD: Lexington Books. Lanham, MD (2023).
  • Black Representation and Repression in the Contemporary Era:  The Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court. National Review of Black Politics (NRBP)(January, 2020)
  • Winning the Presidency 2016. London: Routledge|Taylor & Francis, Editor and Co-Author. (2017).
  • Winning the Presidency 2012. Boulder and London: Paradigm Publishers. Editor and Co-Author. (2013).
  • The Obama Presidency: Promise and Performance. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield. Editor and Co-Author. (2012)
  • Winning the Presidency 2008. Boulder and London: Paradigm Publishers, 2009. Editor and Co-Author. (Received CHOICE Award)Chapter 1. “The Bush Presidency and the 2008 Presidential Election: Context and Imprint”
  • Chapter 2. “Electing Obama: The 2008 Presidential Campaign”
  • POLITY: Special Edition: The 2008 Elections, Volume 41, Number 3, July 2009. Editor and Co-Author.
  • Published article in refereed journal: “Policy and Politics: The Bush Administration and the 2008 Presidential Election.” Polity ”Special Issue: The 2008 Elections,” Volume 41, No. 3 (July, 2009), pp 282-311 and also “The 2008 Elections: Introduction,” pp 279-291.
  • “The Catholic Church in Ireland: Triumph and Decline,” in The Irish Celebrating: Festive and Tragic Overtones, Marie-Claire Considere-Charon, Philippe Laplace and Michel Savaric, Editors (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008), pp. 234-248.
  • “Review Essay: Protecting the Homeland: The Bush Administration at Work,” POLITY, Journal of the Northeastern Political Science Association, 2008.
  • “Crucibles of Political Loyalty: Church Institutions and Electoral Continuity in Hungary,” Book Review, Political Psychology, 2008.
  • A Defining Election: The Presidential Race of 2004. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharp, Inc. 2005.
  • Democratic Development and Political Terrorism. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press, forthcoming 2004. Editor and Co-author.
  • Handbook of Party Politics, London: Sage Publications, 2006. 45 chapters, 550 pages. Co-Editor and co-Author.
  • A Defining Moment. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2005. Editor and Co-author. (Received CHOICE Award)
  • Democratic Development and Political Terrorism. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press, 2005. Editor and Co-author.
  • The Politics of Terror: the U.S. Response to 9/11. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press, 2004. Editor and Co-author. CHOICE: Current reviews for Academic Libraries, 2004: ”Outstanding Academic Title;” “This should be required reading for all Americans;” “One of the best chapters is the Editor’s.” (From review.)
  • Political Terrorism and American Society. Forthcoming 2005.
  • Ireland on the World Stage. Essex, United Kingdom: Pearson Education, 2001. Co-editor and Co-author with David Schmitt.
  • Ireland and the Politics of Change. London: Longman, 1998. Co-editor and Co-author with David Schmitt.
  • The Politics of Presidential Selection. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. Co-author with John S. Jackson, III.
  • The Stage of Democracy in America
  • The Politics of Presidential Selection
  • America’s Choice 2000
  • Assassinations and Political Violence. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1969. Also published and distributed by Bantam Books, with an Introduction by Harrison B. Salisbury (New York, 1970), and by Praeger Publishers, 1970. Co-author.
  • Publications in process:book on Democratic Development in the American Party System (book attempting to explain and develop empirically the structural basis for party and policy polarization in American society)

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