Richard F. Fenno, Jr. 1926-2020

 
In this brilliant case study, Fenno, America’s leading practitioner of participant observation, reflects on how the press and political scientists reacted when George Bush chose Dan Quayle to be his vice president — and on his personal dilemma as a scholar with a wealth of information about a little known, much criticized nominee. Fenno draws on his unique experience to explain the enduring ethical, tactical, and methodological problems involved in studying politicians.

Watching Politicians: Essays on Participant Observation. by Richard E. Fenno, Jr.
Alan Rosenthal
The Journal of Politics, Vol. 53, No. 2. (May, 1991), pp. 563-565.

The five essays in this book focus on "participant observation," "direct observation," or "soaking and poking." Whichever designation we use, it is the mode of research conducted so effectively by Richard Fenno for the past 20 years. As might be expected, these essays are not only informative, they are delightful as well. They should be required reading for everyone who practices political science as a profession or is thinking about doing so.