Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies

Reclaiming Patriotism

Available for Purchase and Free E-Book Download!

"This is a major contribution by a leading public intellectual to a central issue of our time. ..."
Wolfgang Streeck, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, author of How Will Capitalism End?

"Drawing on a lifetime of sociological research and decades as a global communitarian leader, Amitai Etzioni boldly takes on the most fundamental political challenge of our time. ..."
William A. Galston, The Brookings Institution

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Check It Out on BookTV!

C-SPAN's BookTV aired the Reclaiming Patriotism book launch party that was hosted by the Elliott School.

The video of the event is available here.

Welcome

The Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at the George Washington University is the nation's leading center for communitarian policy research and is a research institute dedicated to finding constructive solutions to social problems through morally informed policy analysis and moral dialogue. We seek to bring the best scholarship and analysis to bear on policy issues affecting family, schools, the community, and the moral climate of society as a whole.

Our Latest Research and Writing

Carbon Capture Is a Climate Change Game Changer

October 31, 2021

Carbon capture has a much more attractive psycho-political profile than other climate-improving measures. It does not require individuals and industries to change. Even better, it could yield significant, visible benefits within a relatively short period of time.

Soldiers from China's People's Liberation Army's Navy march in formation during a 2019 parade and yell

The Chinese Are Coming – to Taiwan?

May 23, 2021

There are risks in hyping a threat.

Addressing the White 'Minority': "This Cultural Divide Keeps Donald Trump's Political Power Alive"

May 12, 2021

Millions of Americans who still support Donald Trump see themselves as a persecuted White “minority”—and that’s a problem.

The Powerful Capitalist Squeeze

May 06, 2021

The majority of Americans are distressed and angry, and many have protested in the street or have supported politicians who give voice to their alienation.

Capitalism Needs to Be Re-encapsulated

May 03, 2021

Capitalism, which has become the dominant economic system in the world, requires a strong political and social capsule, made out of regulations and normative restrictions. The capsule in the United States has weakened since 1980; major industries and corporations are engaged in highly unethical and often illegal behavior. It is not a case of a few “rotten apples” in an otherwise healthy barrel—but a barrel whose contents are decomposing as a whole. Public opinion polls and political preferences indicate that large segments of the public are disenchanted with the current form of the capitalist system, and there are some indications that the economic elites recognize a growing public demand for a stronger capsule. This article closes by raising a question about the long-run sustainability of this economic system.

A cyclist rides behind a newspaper with a front-page photo of the People's Liberation Army soldiers doing a military exercise

Taiwan Is Not Worth Risking A War With China

April 26, 2021

For decades, the US and China have had an implicit understanding that the U.S. will not recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, and China will not use force to reincorporate Taiwan into the People’s Republic of China.