Former CCCG Visiting Fellow Daniel Mark published his book The Nature of Law: Authority, Obligation, and the Common Good this past summer as part of the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government’s book series on constitutionalism and the principles and practices of liberal democracy. Dr. Mark’s study explores the nature of legal obligation, defending its moral character against prevailing views in the field.
Dr. Mark drafted much of the book as the Busch Family Residential Fellow with the CCCG during the 2017-18 academic year. “It was a joy to have Daniel with us,” commented CCCG Director Vincent Phillip Muñoz. “Our fellowship program is designed for scholars just like him: extraordinarily thoughtful scholars who just need time and a bit of mentorship to launch their careers.” Muñoz noted that the fellowship program has been successful in this respect, remarking that “Dr. Mark’s career has indeed launched,” as he just received tenure at Villanova University, where he is a professor of political science.
CCCG Co-Director Don Stelluto expressed the enthusiasm felt by the Center with the publication of Dr. Mark’s book: “The Center is a special place for visiting scholars who want to engage with a wide range of interlocutors while here and to expand and enrich the ideas in their manuscripts as a result. We’re delighted that Daniel’s fellowship was productive and that this excellent book, a result of his time with us, is now being published.”
In a message to the Center, Dr. Mark conveyed his thanks for the CCCG’s role in making this book possible: “A significant amount of the work in revising the book was accomplished during a wonderful year I spent as a visiting fellow in the then-[Tocqueville] Program, now-Center. I am grateful for the extremely hospitable environment provided by the Center. Everything from the extraordinary office space to the intellectual camaraderie made for a fitting environment to make progress on my research and writing.”
He also offered a special thank-you to Dr. Muñoz: “Phillip made every effort to support me, personally and professionally. The connections that he fostered enabled me to advance my book project and my academic career more generally.”
Dr. Mark concluded, “I have such fond memories of my time at Notre Dame, and, now that my book is in hand, I have concrete evidence of how valuable my time there was.”
Dr. Muñoz was also proud of Dr. Mark’s book and excited about what its success may portend for the future of the CCCG’s partnership with University of Notre Dame Press: “We were very pleased that Daniel was able to complete this book while at the Center and that it played a role in his career advancement. Assisting talented young scholars with the opportunities to finish a book of this quality while at the CCCG is a part of our distinctive mission.”
The Nature of Law makes the case for its own importance by highlighting the relevance of the questions it grapples with in everyday life: “The nature of legal obligation as strictly sociological or also normative is extremely consequential in real life because the difference between having justified authority and not having justified authority is the difference between justice and raw coercive power.” The book has already gained recognition, as Dr. Mark was named the second recipient of the UND Press First-Time Author Award.
The Nature of Law is the second book in the CCCG’s series with the University of Notre Dame Press. Manuscripts undergo a rigorous, external peer-review process to be published. About the CCCG’s partnership with UND Press, Dr. Muñoz remarked, “We are striving to make the University of Notre Dame Press the number one academic press for Constitutional Studies and the emerging discipline of Civic Thought.”
To learn more about Dr. Mark’s book, read this excerpt.
Originally published by at constudies.nd.edu on October 01, 2024.