Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 13, 2000

Volume 29, Number 6

Robert Dahl

Political scientist Dahl to discuss
Constitution in Castle Lectures

As the United States approaches its presidential elections, noted Yale political scientist Robert Dahl will examine the American Constitution and reflect on democratic institutions as this year's Castle Lecturer in Ethics, Politics and Economics.

Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science, will present four lectures as part of the series on the topic "A Democratic Critique of the American Constitution." All of the lectures, which are free and open to the public, will take place 4-5:30 p.m., and will be followed by a reception. Dates, titles and the location of individual talks follow.

Monday, Oct. 16, "Why Does the American Constitution Fail To Meet Democratic Standards?" Rm. 102 of Linsly- Chittenden Hall (LC), 63 High St.

Thursday, Oct. 19, "Why Haven't Other Advanced Democratic Countries Adopted a Constitution Like Ours?" Rm. 119 of William L. Harkness Hall, 100 Wall St.

Tuesday, Oct. 24, "How Well Has the Constitution Performed?" Rm. 102 LC.

Thursday, Oct. 26, "Isn't Democracy More Important Than a Constitution?" Rm. 102 LC.

Dahl, a scholar of democratic theory and practice, has written 21 books and over 100 articles. His books include "Politics, Economics and Welfare" (with Charles Lindbloom), "Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City," "Regimes and Oppositions," "Democracy, Liberty, and Equality," "Democracy and Its Critics," "The New American Political (Dis)Order" and "On Democracy."

The political scientist earned a Ph.D. degree from Yale in 1940 and began a long teaching career at the University in 1946. He has received numerous honors, including the first John Skytte Prize, the only international award in the field of political science, and the DeVane Medal for outstanding teaching at Yale. He has collaborated with the Center for Voting and Democracy and serves on the Research Council of the National Endowment of Democracy, as well as a senior scholar of Yale's Center for Comparative Research.

The Castle Lectures are sponsored by Yale's Program on Politics, Ethics and Economics. They were endowed by John K. Castle to honor one of his ancestors, the Reverend James Pierpont, who was one of Yale's original founders. The lectures are intended to promote an awareness of and sensitivity to ethical issues facing individuals in modern American society. The lectures are cosponsored by Yale University Press, which subsequently publishes them as a book.

For additional information, contact Nancy Brune at (203) 436-4075 or nancy.brune@yale.edu.

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