Karen Orren is a distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her work primarily focuses on political history and institutions, offering insightful analysis for readers interested in the evolution of governance.
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.