M. Steven Fish
M. Steven Fish
Professor of Political Science
University of California at Berkeley
New Release
COMEBACK: ROUTING TRUMPISM, RECLAIMING THE NATION,
AND RESTORING DEMOCRACY'S EDGE
Comeback provides a roadmap for Democrats to beat Trumpism—and it's not about the economy or better policies. Instead, Democrats must adopt audacious new messaging to reestablish their credentials as fearless leaders, tough fighters, and fierce patriots.
“Powerful and provocative…a rallying cry for Democrats” —Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and author of The Spirit of Democracy
“A battle plan for saving democracy” —Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, and author of The Death of Expertise
“Fish lays waste to a string of narratives that lead to electoral dead ends and provides a script for a campaign to beat back—and dominate—Trump and his miserable vision.” —John Carey, Professor of Government, Dartmouth College, and coauthor of Campus Diversity: The Hidden Consensus
"A phenomenal new book...I strongly recommend it." —Rick Wilson, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, and author of Running Against the Devil
“A fresh and powerful approach to reaching American voters with a message of strength through inclusion and freedom.” —Jack Goldstone, Professor of Public Policy, Mason University, and author of Spiral: Trapped in the Forever War
“A must-read for politicians, scholars, journalists, and everyone who supports equality and democracy." —Marc M. Howard, Professor of Government and Law, Georgetown University, and author of Unusually Cruel: Prisons, Punishment, and The Real American Exceptionalism
“An important, brilliant, and thrilling read.” —George W. Breslauer, former Provost, University of California, Berkeley, and author of The Rise and Demise of World Communism
Research and Publications
Religion and Politics
Political Regimes
Regime Change
Legislatures
Eurasia
Comeback: Routing Trumpism, Reclaiming the Nation, and Restoring Democracy's Edge. Irvington, NY: Rivertowns Books, 2024. 362 pages.
Are Muslims Distinctive? A Look at the Evidence. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. 408 pages. (Selected for Choice’s Outstanding Academic Titles, 2012: Top 25 Books)
The Handbook of National Legislatures: A Global Survey (coauthored with Matthew Kroenig). New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. 808 pages.
Democracy Derailed in Russia: The Failure of Open Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. 336 pages. (Recipient of the Best Book Award of 2006, presented by the Comparative Democratization Section of the American Political Science Association)
Postcommunism and the Theory of Democracy (coauthored with Rishard D. Anderson, Stephen E. Hanson, and Philip G. Roeder). Princeton,NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001. 216 pages.
Democracy from Scratch: Opposition and Regime in the New Russian Revolution. Princeton,NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995. 300 pages.
"Trump, Russia, and the Democrats' Golden Opportunity." The American Interest. July 24, 2019.
"What Has Russia Become?" Comparative Politics 50, 3 (April 2018): 327–346.
“Attitudes toward Polygyny: Experimental Evidence from Six Countries.” (coauthored with Rose McDermott, Michael Dickerson, Danielle Lussier, and Jonathan Cowden). In Rose McDermott and Kristen Renwick Monroe, eds., The Evils of Polygyny: Evidence of Its Harms to Women, Men, and Society. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2018: 97–122.
“Penury Traps and Prosperity Tales: Why Some Countries Escape Poverty While Others Do Not.” In Carol Lancaster and Nicholas van de Walle, eds., The Oxford Handbook of the Politics of Development. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018: 88–104.
"What is Putinism?" Journal of Democracy 28, 4 (October 2017): 61–75.
“Russia and the CIS in 2016: Pursuing Great Power Status.” (coauthored with Melissa Samarin and Lucan Way). Asian Survey 57, 1 (January-February 2017): 93-102.
“The Secret Supports of Mongolian Democracy.” (coauthored with Michael Seeberg). Journal of Democracy 28, 1 (January 2017): 129–143.
"Men, Muslims, and Attitudes toward Gender Inequality." (coauthored with Danielle N. Lussier) Politics and Religion 9, 1 (March 2016): 29–60.
"Policies First, Institutions Second:Lessons from Estonia's Economic Reforms." (coauthored with Neil A. Abrams). Post-Soviet Affairs 31, 6 (November–December 2015): 491–513.
"Indonesia: The Benefits of Civic Engagement." (coauthored with Danielle N. Lussier). Journal of Democracy 23, 1 (January 2012): 70–84.
“Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy: A New Approach.” (coauthored with Michael Coppedge, John Gerring et al.). Perspectives on Politics 9, 2 (June 2011): 247–67.
"Islam and Large-Scale Political Violence: Is There a Connection?" (coauthored with Francesca R. Jensenius and Katherine E. Michel). Comparative Political Studies 43, 11 (November 2010): 1327–62.
"The e-Parliament Election Index: A Global Survey on the Quality of Practices in Parliamentary Elections." The e-Parliament, 2009.
"Diversity, Conflict, and Democracy: Some Evidence from Eurasia and East Europe." (coauthored with Matthew Kroenig). Democratization 13, 5 (December 2006): 828–842.
"Stronger Legislatures, Stronger Democracy." In Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, eds., Democracy: A Reader. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009: 196–210.
“Encountering Culture.” In Zoltan Barany and Robert G. Moser, eds., Is Democracy Exportable? New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009: 57–84.
“Failed Democratization.” (coauthored with Jason Wittenberg). In Christian W. Haerpfer, Patrick Bernhagen, Ronald F. Inglehart, and Christian Welzel, eds., Democratization. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009: 249-65.
“Democratization and Economic Liberalization in the Postcommunist World.”(coauthored with Omar Choudhry). Comparative Political Studies 40, 3 (March 2007): 254–82.
"Does Diversity Hurt Democracy?" (coauthored with Robin S. Brooks). Journal of Democracy 15, 1 (January 2004): 155–66.
"Islam and Authoritarianism." World Politics 55, 1 (October 2002): 4–37.
“Putin’s Path.” In Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, eds., Democracy after Communism. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002: 246-53. [Published originally in Journal of Democracy 12, 4 (October 2001): 71-78].
“Russian Studies without Studying.” Post-Soviet Affairs 17, 4 (October-December 2001): 332-73.
"Mongolia's Democratization in Comparative Perspective." Communist and Post-Communist Studies 34 (2001) 323–338.
“Mongolia: Democracy without Prerequisites.” Journal of Democracy 9, 3 (July 1998): 127–41.
“The Determinants of Economic Reform in the Postcommunist World." East European Politics and Societies 12, 1 (Winter 1998): 31–78.
"Bulgarian Democracy's Organization Weapon: Political Parties and Political Development in Bulgaria." (coauthored with Robin S. Brooks). East European Constitutional Review 9, 3 (Summer 2000): 69-77.
"The Art of Being Indispensable: Noncharismatic Personalism in Contemporary Political Parties." (coauthored with Christopher K. Ansell). Comparative Political Studies 32, 3 (May 1999): 283-312.
Trump Knows Dominance Wins. Someone Tell Democrats (New York Times)
The Lost Language of Progressive Patriotism (RealClearWorld)
To Establish the Rule of Law, Cut off Elites' Purses and Power (Washington Post)
How Western Aid Enables Graft Addiction in Ukraine (Washington Post)
State Subsidies Take from the Poor to Give to the Rich (Washington Post)
The Islamic Community, Tunisia, and the Democratic Paradox (KOMPAS, Jakarta)