ABSTRACT

Robert Kagan is known primarily as a scholar of American public law, but Kagan’s studies of America have always been informed by a comparative perspective. Though many scholars and pundits speak of “American exceptionalism,” Kagan is one of the rare few who understands that the truly exceptional features of American politics and law can only be recognized on the basis of detailed study of other polities. Early on, Kagan saw that to succeed as an Americanist, he must also become a comparativist. He has done so with such success that his work on comparative law and regulation not only has contributed to his insights on the U.S., it also has made landmark contributions to the study of law and regulation across Europe and Asia. 1