Political Science Professor Publishes New Book

The book honors the scholarship of Dr. David K. Nichols, a retired associate professor of political science at Baylor University, over his higher education career that spanned more than four decades. It features a compilation of 18 essays penned by former students and colleagues that explore the relationship between liberty and constitutionalism in American politics and political theory. Bartl also has an essay included in the book.

The essays are organized around the question of how human liberty is preserved and advanced while empowering government to have the necessary authority to effectively govern society. They are divided into three areas, with the first area assessing how we should understand separation of powers and checks and balances in the American constitutional system. The second area addresses different aspects of American legal practice and jurisprudence, including the powers and role of the American judiciary, as well as questions of administrative power, civil rights, parental rights and symbolic speech. The final section examines a range of issues in political philosophy and theory, including the intersection of political theory with literature and art.

The array of subjects covered by these chapters is a testament to the broad influence of Nichols’ teaching and scholarship, and to the widening interest in aspects of American politics, constitutional law and political theory that cross traditional barriers in political science.

“Constitutionalism and Liberty” is now available for purchase through Rowman & Littlefield, Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as other online booksellers.

An ASU faculty member since 2010, Bartl is a professor of political science and the current president of the ASU Faculty Senate. He primarily teaches courses in federal and state government, constitutional law, American political thought, and judicial process and behavior. His first book was titled “The Constitutional Principles of Justice Kennedy: A Jurisprudence of Liberty and Equality,” and he has also published book chapters in “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: A History of the American Experiment,” as well as entries in “American Political Culture: An Encyclopedia.”

Bartl holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Northern Illinois University and master’s and doctoral degrees in political science from Baylor University.