While academics often treat their subject matter with a posture of detached objectivity, some have moved beyond the ivory tower of academia toward a more personal and active engagement with their area of research. The field of political science lends itself particularly well to this kind of activity given the relevance, impact, and importance of civic engagement and the political landscape of our daily lives. Early in the discipline, Woodrow Wilson, Charles Merriam, and other leaders of the American Political Science Association were civically engaged as well as active scholars and teachers....

While academics often treat their subject matter with a posture of detached objectivity, some have moved beyond the ivory tower of academia toward a more personal and active engagement with their area of research. The field of political science lends itself particularly well to this kind of activity given the relevance, impact, and importance of civic engagement and the political landscape of our daily lives. Early in the discipline, Woodrow Wilson, Charles Merriam, and other leaders of the American Political Science Association were civically engaged as well as active scholars and teachers....