Professor Fife is interested in reforming the political and public policy processes in the United States. In his research, he emphasizes the importance of theory, context, history, and civic engagement. His current book project is on reforming both major political parties. It is his premise that for the sake of American democracy in the contemporary era, both parties are in need of change. A new paradigm of modern party government that centers on the themes of reform and democratic responsiveness will be presented in this new work. Throughout the book, contributions from three distinct disciplines will be incorporated and emphasized: political science, history, and education.
Brian L. Fife
Professor
Chair
610-758-3338
blf218@lehigh.edu
318 Maginnes Hall
Education:
Ph.D., State University of New York at Binghamton, 1990
M.A., State University of New York at Binghamton, 1986
B.A., University of Maine, 1985
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Research Areas
Additional Interests
- Education
- Elections
- Political Parties
Research Statement
Biography
Brian Fife is professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Lehigh University. He joined the department in 2018 after serving as chair of the Department of Public Policy at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (now Purdue University Fort Wayne). He earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in political science at the State University of New York at Binghamton and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maine. His research focuses on education policy, electoral reform, and the challenges of poverty in America. To date, he has published eight books on various topics in politics, education, elections, and social welfare.
Reforming the Major Political Parties: Towards a Responsible, Responsive, and Engaged American Democracy (book contract with Walter deGruyter).
“President Barack Obama and the School Choice Divide in Education.” eJournal of Education Policy (forthcoming).
“Civic Education in the Academy.” Education Reform Journal, 8:1 (2023), 1-12.
“Asa Packer: A Glimpse of the Man Who Founded Lehigh University.” American Educational History Journal, 49:1 (2022), 11-33.
Citizenship in the American Republic (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2021). Book review available in Political Science Quarterly, Volume 137:4, Winter 2022-23, pp.792-793).
“Choosing Wisely: The Case of Maine’s Hannibal Hamlin.” The New England Journal of History, 75:2/76:1 (2019), 10-31.
Winning the War on Poverty: Applying the Lessons of History to the Present (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2018).
Teaching
POLS 001 (American Political System)
POLS 109 (Introduction to Public Policy)
POLS 274 (Political Parties and Elections)
POLS 306/406 (Public Policy Process)