Doug Madsen passed away on February 8, 2024. He was an active member of our Political Science Department at the University of Iowa for almost 40 years, joining the faculty in 1971, and completing his Ph.D. at UCLA in 1973. I came to the Department in 1974, and so I had the benefit of his unfailing friendship and collegial guidance for many years. His deep commitment to Political Science at the University of Iowa manifests itself in multiple ways. He made unstinting contributions with respect to service. In the department he held various pivotal positions, including Chair (1987-90), Director of Graduate Studies (1983-90, 1995-97), Director of Ph.D. Placement (1986-89, 1995-97), Director of the MAPA program (1980-84), Director of the Honors Program (2003-08), and Director of Alumni Relations (2003-2008). In these positions, he did his duty with enthusiasm, fairness, and discipline (perhaps in part because of his training as a Navy ensign).
In the broader University environment, Doug had a major presence, participating in over a dozen strategic committees and organizations, often as leader. Within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), he was Chair of the Social Science Course Review Committee (1993-94), Chair of the Geography Department Review Committee (1984), member of the Promotional and Tenure Committee (1992-93), and an elected representative to the Liberal Arts Faculty Assembly (1986-87). For the University at large, he served in the Faculty Senate (1995-98), as Chair of a Review Committee on Undergraduate Advising (1991-94), and as Chair of a Review Committee for the Institute of Public Affairs (1981). In addition, he was a member of the University of Iowa Press Board (1990-93) and the Computer-Based Education Committee (1974-1977). He executed these assignments with alacrity and thoroughness.
With regard to his classroom presence, he received a CLAS Teaching Award (2005).
As an educator, Doug pursed a vigorous agenda, teaching a wide range of courses, and at different levels. He regularly taught introductory classes in American Government, Political Behavior, and Public Opinion. In addition, he crafted some special courses, such as the Freshman Seminar on The (Mis)information Society or his Honors Research Methods Seminar. At the graduate level, he offered winning courses on Administration Theory, Public Policy Analysis, Foundations of Political Behavior. Doug got high ratings as a teacher, no surprise to me as I had frequently seen his mind at work. Here are a few comments I gleaned online, from Rate My Professors (2008-2010).
“Madsen is tops! I love his lectures. You really have to think on your feet.”
“An awesome professor. I was always learning…”
“This class was terrific.”
“his dry humor really comes through.”
Lest I be accused of cherry-picking these remarks, I should note that, in the overall rating tally, his modal score was “Awesome.”
One of Doug’s ongoing interests was research methods, an area in which he regularly taught, with an affinity for questions of research design. For example, in The Sage Encyclopedia for Social Science Research Methods (2004), which I co-edited, Doug published four entries, on the following topics: Protocol, Mixed Design, Unbalanced Design, and Stability Coefficient. Doug had an ongoing research program, as indicated by his success in receiving at least nine grants and awards on which he was Principal Investigator.
With respect to his peer-reviewed publications of books and scholarly articles, several are sparklers. Concerning books, The Charismatic Bond: Political Behavior in a Time of Crisis (1990), co-authored with his dear friend and colleague Peter Snow, was published by Harvard University Press. Look over his list of articles. The American Political Science Review ranks as the leading journal in the discipline. Therein we observe that four papers carry his name. Very—very few—political scientists have achieved that distinction. Doug has papers in other top journals as well, such as the American Journal of Political Science, and Comparative Political Studies. It should also be mentioned that, early on in his career (1982), he co-edited (with colleague John Wahlke) a special issue of the American Behavioral Scientist, entitled “The Biobehavioral Study of Politics.”
Doug Madsen served the Department of Political Science at the University of Iowa long and well, steady at the wheel and with good cheer.
Michael S. Lewis-Beck is Professor Emeritus and F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Iowa.
