Stephen Skowronek is a Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University. His work delves into historical political science, examining how political institutions and elites have evolved and transformed over time. His research illuminates the deep historical patterns that shape contemporary politics. Skowronek offers valuable insights into the enduring tensions between tradition and change within American political life.
In this expanded third edition, Stephen Skowronek addresses Donald J. Trump's presidency. Skowronek's insights have fundamentally altered our understanding of the American presidency. A classic widely used in courses on the presidency, Skowronek's book has greatly expanded our understanding of and debates over the politics of leadership.
Phantoms of a Beleaguered Republic traces the tensions between presidential power and the depth of the American state back through the decades and forward through the various settlements arrived at in previous eras. Skowronek, Dearborn, and King provide a richly historical perspective on the conflicts that rocked Trump's presidency. Now, in this expanded paperback edition, they address the tumultuous Trump-Biden transition and reflect more broadly on the problems of presidential democracy in America today.