Ever Since Franklin Roosevelt's administration during the Great Depression and World War II, the United States has become accustomed to a strong executive role in domestic affairs. In this talk, we will review the history of the presidency as an institution and address the causes of the increase in presidential power and prominence in the last century. We will consider the formal and informal limits on presidential power and what this style of leadership means for the future of U.S. governance.

Presented by Dr. Ian Drake, an associate professor of Political Science and Law at Montclair State University. Dr. Drake obtained his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2010. His teaching interests include the American judiciary and legal system, the U.S. Supreme Court and constitutional history, the history and contemporary study of law and society. Prior to earning his Ph.D. in history, Dr. Drake practiced law in the areas of insurance and tort law.

This program is part of the Democracy Conversation Project and supported by a grant from the NJ Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.