Maestri of Political Science

This book continues the editors' work (started in the volume “Masters of Political Science”) of highlighting and re-evaluating the contributions of the most important political scientists who have gone before. Its basis is the belief that the future development and sophistication of the discipline will benefit from a critical understanding of the works of early political “giants” whose contributions are presented and analysed: Gabriel A. Almond, Raymond Aron, Philip Converse, Maurice Duverger, Stanley Hoffmann, Paul Lazarsfeld, Arend Lijphart, Elinor Ostrom, William H. Riker, Stein Rokkan and Susan Strange. The editors review and consider the contributions of these maestri to the study of contemporary democracy, political culture, electoral systems, political communication, the transformation of capitalism and state formation in Europe. Maestri of Political Science is aimed not only at a new generation of political scientists but is a valuable opportunity for established scholars to see new light through old windows.

Donatella Campus is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Bologna. She is the author of L'elettore pigro. Informazione politica e scelte di voto (Mulino, 2000); L'antipolitica al governo (Mulino, 2006); Comunicazione Politica: Le nuove Frontiere (2008).



Gianfranco Pasquino is Professor of Political Science at the University of Bologna. He also teaches at the Bologna Center of Johns Hopkins University. Since 2005 he has been a member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. His most recent book is Le istituzioni di Arlecchino (2008, 5th ed.). He has also edited L'Elezione del segretario, Organizzazione e potere (2009).



Martin Bull is Professor of Politics at the University of Salford and Director of the European Consortium for Political Research. His research interests lie in comparative, Southern European and Italian politics, and his recent publications include, Italy - A Contested Polity (2009), edited with Martin Rhodes.