Dr. Gregory Butler

Associate Professor

Ph.D., Catholic University of America, 1989 (Political Philosophy)

M.A., Catholic University of America, 1986 (Political Philosophy)

B.A., Furman University, 1983 (Political Science)

Research Interests

Dr. Butler's current research focuses upon the history of American political thought and culture, specifically the interaction of Protestant political reform movements and the American constitutional order. He also has an ongoing interest in all primary and secondary literature involving the 19th century American controversialist Orestes A. Brownson.

Publications and Awards

Dr. Butler is the author of In Search of the American Spirit: The Political Thought of Orestes Brownson (Southern Illinois University Press, 1992), and co-author of U.S. Educational Groups: Institutional Profiles (Greenwood Press, 1994). A five-volume collection of the political writings of Orestes A. Brownson is currently under contract with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute Press. He also has an edited volume under contract with University Press of America entitled Political Economy in Philosophic Perspective. He has published scholarly articles and book reviews in Humanitas, Crisis, Hillsdale Review, Intercollegiate Review, Modern Age, Journal of Church and State, Review of Metaphysics, and The Weekly Standard, as well as a number of encyclopedia entries and one book chapter. Dr. Butler has been nominated for Outstanding Young Americans and Sterling Who's Who Directory. He is also a two-time recipient of the Pi Sigma Alpha Eta Eta Chapter Government Professor of the Year award; a recipient of the Government Department Mariposa Award; and a College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Achievement Award. Dr. Butler served as a Henry D. Salvatori Fellow from June 1992-March 1994, was a nominee for the 1993 NASPAA Award for Excellence in Teaching, and is included in Gale's Contemporary Authors.

Courses Taught

Introduction to Political Philosophy, American National Government, Introduction to Political Science, American Politics in a Changing World, The Citizen and the State: Great Political Issues, Classical Political Thought (Ancient and Medieval), American Political Thought, Political Economy, Modern Political Thought, Contemporary Political Thought, Religion and Politics, Ethics in Government, Graduate Survey of American Political Thought, Graduate Survey of the Modern Age, Graduate Survey of the Great Thinkers of the Western Tradition, Graduate Seminar: Politics and Human Nature; American Political Parties and Interest Groups, Campaigns and Elections.

Fall 2009 Courses

HON 248G: CITIZEN AND THE STATE: GREAT POLITICAL ISSUES

GOVT 380V: WORLD POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES

GOVT 387: RELIGION AND POLITICS

GOVT 587: SEMINAR IN RELIGION AND POLITICS