L. Sandy Maisel
Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government; Director of the Colby in Washington Program, 1987-1995; Director, Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, 2003-2012
5307 Mayflower Hill
Waterville, Maine 04901-8853
Tuesday, Thursday, 11:00-noon; Wednesday 9:30-noon

Education
•Harvard College, B. A. 1967 (magna cum laude)
•The Nichols School, Honors diploma 1963
Areas of Expertise
- American political parties and elections
- National Democratic party conventions and platforms
- Political campaigns
- College governance
- Jews in American Politics
- Ex-Presidents of the United States
Courses Currently Teaching
Course | Course Title |
---|---|
GO111 B | Introduction to American Government and Politics |
GO414 A | Seminar: Ethics in Politics |
Professional Information
Department of Government, Colby College, 1971-present
Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government, 2016-present
Earlier positions:
William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Government, 1993-2016
Visiting Professor of Political Science, Stanford University, 2013; 1993-94
Fulbright Distinguished Chair in American Studies, PUC--Rio de Janeiro, 2012
Director, Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, 2003-2012
Charles A. Dana Professor of American Democratic Institutions, 1989-93
Professor, 1983-1989; Associate Professor, 1979-83; Assistant Professor, 1971-79
Maine Professor of the Year, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, 1989
Chair, 1982-1987; 1989-1992; 1994-1998; 2000-2005; 2013-2016; Acting Chair, 1979-80
Chair, Social Science Division, 1984-1987
John Adams Fellow, Institute for United States Studies, University of London, 2002
Guest Scholar, The Brookings Institution, 1999
Philippine Centennial Distinguished Fulbright Lecturer, 1998
Visiting Professor of Government, Harvard University, 1987-88
Task Force Director, Task Force on Work Management, Commission on Administration Review of the House of Representatives (Obey Commission), 1977
Visiting Lecturer in Politics, University of Melbourne and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 1975
Instructor in Government, Barnard College, 1969-70
Current Research
Publications
Publications
Parties and Elections in America
Books

Edited by L. Sandy Maisel and Darrell M. West, Campaigning American Style, Rowman & Littlefield.
The level of discourse in campaigns and elections ideally should elevate citizens; knowledge about the candidates and the issues that face the polity. But elections today are often beset by negative campaigns and an emphasis on the 'horse race' over issues of substance. Running on Empty? looks at sixteen carefully selected, highly competitive races in the House and Senate during the 2002 midterm elections.

Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process
L. Sandy Maisel and Kara Z. Buckley, Rowman & Littlefield, 1987; Second Edition, 1993; Third Edition, 1999; Fourth Edition, 2001; Fifth Edition, 2010; Sixth Edition, 2012.
"Sandy Maisel's Parties and Elections in America draws on the author's active political involvement, the lessons he has learned as an effective teacher, and his comprehensive knowledge of political science research. The result is a text that is not only authoritative but also engaging, introducing students to the excitement and challenge of politics." ---- David Price

Jews in Ameican Politics
edited by L. Sandy Maisel and Ira N. Forman, Rowman & Littlefield. , 2001.
The editors and authors in this book summarize the long history of Jewish participation in the historic experiment that is American democracy. Just as I was inspired to enter politics by the examples of those who came before me...I hope this volume will help inspire a new generation of American Jews (and for that matter non-Jews) to dedicate themselves to public life and public office. -----from the introduction by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.)

Two Parties-Or More? The American Party System
John F. Bibby and L. Sandy Maisel, 1998; Second Edition, Westview, 2002. Amazon
In a concise and well-written book, Bibby and Maisel have once again demonstrated why they are two of the leading scholars on the American political party system. This book will challenge its readers to think more deeply about the value of and challenges to the two-party system in the United States. It is a valued addition to the literature in the field. ----Alan R. Gitelson, Loyola University, Chicago

The Parties Respond: Changes in the American Party System
(editor) 1990; Second Edition, 1994; Third Edition, 1998; Fourth Edition, 2002; Fifth Edition, 2013, Westview. Amazon
Parties and Politics in the American Past (Co-editor) (1994)
Maisel continues to be the gold standard for interpretation of American political parties. Spanning time from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries, and canvassing the range of U.S. politics, this volume comprises original and provocative essays by leading scholars. It is an excellent source for teaching, for discussion and just plain thinking. ---Gerry Pomper, Rutgers University.
Parties and Politics in the American Past (Co-editor) (1994)
Rethinking Political Reform: Beyond Spending and Term Limits (Co-editor) (1994)
Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections (general editor) (1991)
From Obscurity to Oblivion: Running in the Congressional Primary (1982; Rev. Edition 1986)
Congressional Elections (Co-editor) (1981)
Political Parties: Development and Decay (Co-editor) (1978)
The Impact of the Electoral Process (Co-editor) (1977)
Changing Campaign Techniques: Elections and Values in Contemporary Democracies (editor) (1976)
The Future of Political Parties (Co-editor) (1975)
Recently Published Articles
View publications >
Candidate Emergence Study
- Rethinking Congressional Career Choices: Senate Retirements and Progressive Ambition Among House Members in 1996 (Presented at the 1997 New England Political Science Association Conference)
- Quality Candidates in Congressional Elections: A Preliminary View from the Candidate Emergence Study (Presented at the 1997 American Political Science Association Conference)
- Candidate Emergence Study Report to Respondents (January 1998)
- The Politics of Government Funded Research (December 1998) - PS Online, APSA's journal of the profession
- Stepping Up or Stopping? Candidate Emergence Among State Legislators (April 1999) - prepared for the Annual Meeting of the Southwest Political Science Association
- Reassessing the Definition of Quality Candidates (April 1999) - prepared for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association
- The Not-So-Simple Calculus of Winning (September 1999) - prepared for the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association
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