Crowd of Black Lives Matters demonstrators marching in the street.
Feature: The Democratic Necessity of Reckoning

Erica Chenoweth reviews scholarship that overwhelmingly shows the Black Lives Matter movement generated high levels of public awareness about systemic racism and increased support for criminal justice reform.

Electronic stock ticker board with numbers and arabic letters.
Feature: Against Rule-of-Thumb Economics

Dani Rodrik argues against neoliberalism’s universal rule-of-thumb approach and for economic analyses grounded in contextual dependencies.

Several hands of team members covering one another in a huddle above a work table.
Feature: Leaders’ Psychological Bravery

Dana Born explores what skills leaders need to cultivate psychological safety on their teams and across their organizations.

Dollars and Euros piled on top of one another.
Feature: Dollar vs. Euro as International Reserve Currencies

Jeffrey Frankel explores the strengths and weaknesses of using the Dollar and the Euro as international reserve currencies.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

Why representative democracy requires referendums

Thompson, Dennis F. "Why representative democracy requires referendums." Comparative Election Law. Ed. James A. Gardner. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022, 193-211.

The Professional Ethics of Witnessing Professionals

Thompson, Dennis F. "The Professional Ethics of Witnessing Professionals." Dædalus 149.4 (October 2020): 67-78.

Theories of Institutional Corruption

Thompson, Dennis F. "Theories of Institutional Corruption." Annual Review of Political Science 21.1 (May 2018): 495-513.

Democratic Trusteeship

Thompson, Dennis F. "Democratic Trusteeship." Institutions for Future Generations. Ed. González-Ricoy, Iñigo, and Axel Gosseries. Oxford University Press, 2016.

Deliberate About, Not In, Elections

Thompson, Dennis F. "Deliberate About, Not In, Elections." Election Law Journal 12.4 (2013): 372-385.

Valuing Compromise for the Common Good

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis F. Thompson. "Valuing Compromise for the Common Good." Daedalus 142.2 (Spring 2013): 185-198.

The Case for Compromise

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis Thompson. "The Case for Compromise." Harvard Magazine. July 1, 2012.

A Systemic Approach to Deliberative Democracy

Fung, Archon, Jane Mansbridge, and Dennis F. Thompson. "A Systemic Approach to Deliberative Democracy." Deliberative Systems: Deliberative Democracy at the Large Scale. Ed. Parkinson, John, and Jane Mansbridge. Cambridge University Press, 2012.

How to Free Congress’s Mind

Amy Gutmann, and Dennis F. Thompson. "How to Free Congress’s Mind." New York Times, November 29, 2011.

Is There Room for Political Compromise in an Era of Permanent Campaigning?

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis F. Thompson. "Is There Room for Political Compromise in an Era of Permanent Campaigning?" Christian Science Monitor, January 4, 2011.

Ethics in Congress: From Individual to Institutional Corruption

Thompson, Dennis F. "Ethics in Congress: From Individual to Institutional Corruption." Public Sector Corruption. Ed. Michael Johnston. Sage, 2010.

The Mindsets of Political Compromise

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis Thompson. "The Mindsets of Political Compromise." Perspectives in Politics 8.4 (December 2010): 1125-1143.

Deliberative Democracy

Thompson, Dennis F. "Deliberative Democracy." Political and Civic Leadership. Ed. Richard A. Couto. Sage, 2010.

The Primary Purpose of Presidential Primaries

Thompson, Dennis F. "The Primary Purpose of Presidential Primaries." Political Science Quarterly 125.2 (Summer 2010): 205-232.

Constitutional Character: Virtues and Vices in Presidential Leadership

Thompson, Dennis F. "Constitutional Character: Virtues and Vices in Presidential Leadership." Presidential Studies Quarterly 40.1 (March 2010): 23–37.

Representing Future Generations: Political Presentism and Democratic Trusteeship

Thompson, Dennis F. "Representing Future Generations: Political Presentism and Democratic Trusteeship." Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 13.1 (March 2010): 17-37.

The Democratic Citizen: Social Science and Democratic Theory in the Twentieth Century

Thompson, Dennis F. The Democratic Citizen: Social Science and Democratic Theory in the Twentieth Century, paperback. Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Obama’s Ethics Agenda Seems to Be Lost

Thompson, Dennis F. "Obama’s Ethics Agenda Seems to Be Lost." Roll Call. April 21, 2009.

To Participate or Deliberate-Is that the Question?

Thompson, Dennis F. To Participate or Deliberate-Is that the Question? The Future of Political Science. Ed. Gary King, Kay Lehman Schlozman, and Norman H. Nie. Routledge, 2009, 207-209.

Obama's Ethics Agenda: The Challenge of Coordinated Change

Thompson, Dennis F. "Obama's Ethics Agenda: The Challenge of Coordinated Change." Forum: A Journal of Applied Research in Contemporary Politics 7.1 (March 2009).

À La Recherche d’une Responsabilité du Contrôle

Thompson, Dennis F. "À La Recherche d'une Responsabilitè du Contrôle." Revue Française de Science Politique 58 (2008): 933-951.

Electoral Spontaneity: Expressing Equal Respect

Thompson, Dennis F. "Electoral Spontaneity: Expressing Equal Respect." Journal of Social Issues 64.2 (September 2008): 487-501.

Deliberative Democratic Theory and Empirical Political Science

Thompson, Dennis F. "Deliberative Democratic Theory and Empirical Political Science." Annual Review of Political Science 11 (June 2008): 497-520.

Conflicts of Interest

Thompson, Dennis F. "Conflicts of Interest." Oxford Textbook of Clinical Research Ethics. Ed. Ezekial Emanuel, Christine Grady, Robert A. Crouch, Reidar Lie, Franklin Millar, and David Wendler. Oxford University Press, 2008.

Who Should Govern Who Governs? The Role of Citizens in Reforming the Electoral System

Thompson, Dennis F. "Who Should Govern Who Governs? The Role of Citizens in Reforming the Electoral System." Designing Deliberative Democracy: The British Columbia Citizens' Assembly. Ed. Mark E. Warren and Hilary Pearse. Cambridge University Press, 2008, 20-49.

Cyberdemocracy: Is the Internet Good for Democracy?

Thompson, Dennis F. "Cyberdemocracy: Is the Internet Good for Democracy?" Japan's Democracy: Changing Politics, Changing Political Science. Ed. S. Yasunori and O. Kosuke. Keio University Press, 2008.

Political Ethics and Public Office

Thompson, Dennis F. Political Ethics and Public Office, Serbian translation. Sluzbeni Glasnik, 2008.

Democracy and Disagreement

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis F. Thompson. Democracy and Disagreement, Chinese translation. People's Publishing House, 2008.

La Vie Privée des Politiques.

Thompson, Dennis F. "La Vie Privée des Politiques." Raison Publique 6 (April 2007): 61-72.

Congressional Ethics System Creates Conflict of Interest.

Thompson, Dennis F. "Congressional Ethics System Creates Conflict of Interest." Roll Call, January 17, 2007.

Mill in Parliament: When Should a Philosopher Compromise?

Thompson, Dennis F. "Mill in Parliament: When Should a Philosopher Compromise?" J.S. Mill's Political Thought: A Bicentennial Reassessment. Ed. Nadia Urbinati and Alex Zakaras. Cambridge University Press, 2007, 166-199.

Regulating Congress.

Thompson, Dennis. "Regulating Congress." Boston Globe, January 12, 2006.

Private Life and Public Office.

Thompson, Dennis F. "Private Life and Public Office." The Ethics Edge. Ed. Jonathan P. West and Evan M. Berman. ICMA Press, 2006.

Two Concepts of Corruption: Making Campaigns Safe for Democracy.

Thompson, Dennis F. "Two Concepts of Corruption: Making Campaigns Safe for Democracy." George Washington Law Review 73.5/6 (August 2005): 1036-1069.

Democracy in Time: Popular Sovereignty and Temporal Representation

Thompson, Dennis F. "Democracy in Time: Popular Sovereignty and Temporal Representation." Constellations 12.2 (June 2005): 245-261.

The Role of Theorists and Citizens in Just Elections: A Response to Professors Cain, Garrett, and Sabl.

Thompson, Dennis F. "The Role of Theorists and Citizens in Just Elections: A Response to Professors Cain, Garrett, and Sabl." Election Law Journal 4.2 (April 2005): 153-162.

Restoring Responsibility: Ethics in Government, Business and Healthcare

Thompson, Dennis. Restoring Responsibility: Ethics in Government, Business and Healthcare. Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Ethics and Politics: Cases and Comments, 4th Edition

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis F. Thompson, eds. Ethics and Politics: Cases and Comments, 4th Edition. Thomson/Wadsworth Publishing, 2005.

Election Time: Normative Implications of Temporal Properties of the Electoral Process in the United States.

Thompson, Dennis. "Election Time: Normative Implications of Temporal Properties of the Electoral Process in the United States." American Political Science Review 98.1 (February 2004): 51-64.

Why Deliberative Democracy?

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis Thompson. Why Deliberative Democracy? Princeton University Press, 2004.

Public Reason and Precluded Reasons.

Thompson, Dennis. "Public Reason and Precluded Reasons." Forham Law Review 72.5 (2004): 2073-2088.

Deliberative Democracy.

Gutmann, Amy, and Dennis F. Thompson. "Deliberative Democracy." American Social and Political Thought. Ed. Andreas Hess. New York University Press, 2003, 256-262.

Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process.

Thompson, Dennis. "Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process." Debating Deliberative Democracy: Vol. 7 of Philosophy, Politics and Society. Ed. Peter Laslett and James S. Fishkin. Blackwell, 2003, 31-53.

“Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process.”

Thompson, Dennis and Amy Gutmann. “Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process.” Journal of Political Philosophy 10 (June 2002): 153-174.

Just Elections: Creating a Fair Electoral Process in the U.S

Thompson, Dennis. Just Elections: Creating a Fair Electoral Process in the U.S. University of Chicago Press, 2002.

“James Madison on Cyberdemocracy.”

Thompson, Dennis. “James Madison on Cyberdemocracy.” Governance.com: Democracy in the Information Age. Ed. Elaine Kamarck and Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Brookings Institution, 2002, 32-39.

“Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process.”

Thompson, Dennis, and Amy Gutmann. “Deliberative Democracy Beyond Process.” Philosophy, Politics and Society. Ed. Peter Laslett and James S. Fishkin. Cambridge University Press, 2002.

“Democratic Decisions about Health Care: Why Be Like NICE?”

Thompson, Dennis, and Amy Gutmann. “Democratic Decisions about Health Care: Why Be Like NICE?” Hidden Assets: Value and Decision-making in the NHS. Ed. Bill New and Julia Neuberger. King’s Fund, 2002, 111-128.

“Political Representation.”

Thompson, Dennis. “Political Representation.” International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Ed. Neil J. Smelser and Paul B. Baltes. Elsevier Science, 2002, 11696-11698.

“Just Deliberation about Health Care.”

Thompson, Dennis and Amy Gutmann. “Just Deliberation about Health Care.” Ethical Dimensions of Health Policy. Ed. Marion Danis, Carolyn Clancy, and Larry R. Churchill. Oxford University Press, 2002, 77-94.