Patrick J. Deneen

Patrick J. Deneen is a professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, where he holds the David A. Potenziani Memorial Chair of Constitutional Studies. A summa cum laude graduate of Rutgers University, he earned his Ph.D. in political science from the same institution. Before joining Notre Dame in 2012, Deneen taught at Princeton University and Georgetown University. He served as a speechwriter and special advisor to the director of the U.S. Information Agency from 1995 to 1997. Deneen's scholarship examines the intersections of political philosophy, culture, and religion, with a focus on ancient and modern political thought, American political thought, and constitutionalism. His widely-discussed 2018 book, Why Liberalism Failed, critiques both classical and modern liberalism, arguing that liberalism's success has led to societal fragmentation and the erosion of communal bonds.

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In 2023, Deneen published Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future, further developing his critique of liberalism and proposing a vision for a postliberal political order. He has authored several other books, including Democratic Faith (2005), Conserving America? Thoughts on Present Discontents (2016), and The Odyssey of Political Theory (2000). Deneen has written for publications such as First Things, The American Conservative, The New Atlantis, and Front Porch Republic. He was a founding editor of Front Porch Republic, a journal promoting localism and community, and continues to serve as a contributing editor.

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Deneen's work has garnered significant attention, with Why Liberalism Failed translated into over twenty languages. Former President Barack Obama included the book in his 2018 summer reading list, noting its "cogent insights into the loss of meaning and community that many in the West feel." Deneen's ideas have influenced a range of thinkers and policymakers, particularly within conservative and Catholic intellectual circles. He has been recognized with the American Political Science Association's Leo Strauss Award for Best Dissertation in Political Theory and an honorable mention for the Best First Book Award.

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Outside of academia, Deneen resides in South Bend, Indiana, with his wife, Inge, and their three children. The family are parishioners at St. Joseph Parish of South Bend and are proud to own the house that once belonged to Notre Dame legend, Edward "Moose" Krause. Deneen's commitment to community and tradition reflects his broader philosophical outlook, emphasizing the importance of local bonds and a moral social order centered on faith and family.