ECPR Press Giovanni Sartori: Challenging Political Science

Giovanni Sartori (1924-2017) was a founder and icon of contemporary political science. A number of his books and articles have become part of the theoretical and conceptual basis of the field, and of social science in general. This volume brings together selected essays that examine Sartori as a scholar, university professor and intellectual. It is unique in covering all three aspects of Sartori's academic work: comparative politics, social science methodology and political theory. General overviews of Sartori's contribution to political science are complemented by chapters that focus on specific areas of his interest; and Sartori's theoretical and methodological contributions are examined alongside his extensive public appearances, which remain little known outside Italy. Review What made Giovanni Sartori a 'giant' of political science, but also an extraordinary essayist and columnist? To answer this question the book edited by Kubát and Mejstřík succeeds in offering a thorough portrait of Sartori's personality, scholarly work and public engagement. Overall, a valuable addition to the existing analyses of Sartori's writings and a stimulating contribution to the discussion of the importance and scope of an applicable political science.--Donatella Campus, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Bologna Penetrating and timely, this work is remarkable for showing us the difference a "giant" in the field can make in guiding the discipline and shaping the public political discourse in times of change. With liberal democracy under pressure and the relevance of our discipline at stake, such guidance would be most welcome these days.--Reinhard Heinisch, Head of the Department and Chair of Austrian Politics in Comparative Perspective, University of Salzburg About the Author Michal Kubát is Associated Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. His areas of expertise include democratic and non-democratic regimes, political opposition, and political systems of Central Europe, especially the Czech Republic and Poland. He has recently co-authored Undemokratische Regime: Theoretische Verortung und Fallbeispiele (Barbara Budrich, 2015). Martin Mejstrík is Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. He has completed Area Studies at Charles University and Political Science at the University of Bologna. His research focus includes populism in Europe, South European (in particular Italian) politics, and political theories of Giovanni Sartori.