Frank M. Bryan
Encyclopedia
Frank M. Bryan is the John G. McCullough Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont
. He is a noted local scholar, author and humorist, having written and co-written over ten books and numerous articles.
His areas of teaching and research include Public Administration, American Government, and State and Local Government. He has conducted extensive research on the Vermont town meeting and has developed a mathematical model for predicting voter turnout.
High School.
Professor Bryan received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Michael’s College
in 1963, a Master’s Degree from the University of Vermont in 1965 and PhD. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut
in 1970.
has called Bryan's book Real Democracy "the definitive work on town meeting
," and has written that:
Some of his other books include All Those In Favor: Rediscovering the Secrets of Town Meeting and Community, The Vermont Papers: Recreating Democracy on a Human Scale (with John McClaughry), OUT! The Vermont Secession Book (with Bill Mares), and Real Vermonters Don't Milk Goats.
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
. He is a noted local scholar, author and humorist, having written and co-written over ten books and numerous articles.
His areas of teaching and research include Public Administration, American Government, and State and Local Government. He has conducted extensive research on the Vermont town meeting and has developed a mathematical model for predicting voter turnout.
Early life and career
The son of a single mother who worked in a local mill, Bryan was one of seven students in his graduating class at NewburyNewbury, Vermont
Newbury could be either of the following places in the U.S. state of Vermont:*Newbury , Vermont*Newbury , Vermont...
High School.
Professor Bryan received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Michael’s College
Saint Michael's College
Saint Michael's College is a private, residential liberal arts Catholic college. The campus is located in Colchester, Vermont. It was founded in 1904 by the Society of Saint Edmund, a French order of Catholic priests.-History:...
in 1963, a Master’s Degree from the University of Vermont in 1965 and PhD. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in 1970.
Writings
Bill KauffmanBill Kauffman
Bill Kauffman is an American political writer generally aligned with the paleoconservative movement. He was born in Batavia, New York, and currently resides in Elba, New York, with his wife and daughter....
has called Bryan's book Real Democracy "the definitive work on town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
," and has written that:
Bryan is a legendary character at the University of Vermont, where he teaches political science: he is the horny-handed son of toil who does regression analysisRegression analysisIn statistics, regression analysis includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables...
, the regular-guy intellectual who prefers the company of “working-class people ... the old Vermonters.” And now the irrepressible Bryan has made a major contribution to his field (and his country, which is Vermont) with Real Democracy (University of Chicago Press), his magnum opus, the most searching and sympathetic book ever written about the town-meeting democracy of New England. The book is a veritable four-leaf clover of academia: a witty work of political science written from a defiantly rural populist point of view.
Some of his other books include All Those In Favor: Rediscovering the Secrets of Town Meeting and Community, The Vermont Papers: Recreating Democracy on a Human Scale (with John McClaughry), OUT! The Vermont Secession Book (with Bill Mares), and Real Vermonters Don't Milk Goats.
Quotes
“While many seek the truth by scanning galaxies through powerful telescopes, my eyes have been glued to a microscope—looking down, not up, inward, not outward. America has often seemed transfixed by big. I am captivated by small.”External links
- Frank M. Bryan at the University of Vermont
- Frank M. Bryan's personal website at UVM
- "Democracy in Vermont", The American ConservativeThe American ConservativeThe American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine published by Ron Unz. Its first editor was Scott McConnell, his successors being Kara Hopkins and the present incumbent, Daniel McCarthy....