Juan Linz

Juan Linz (born December 24, 1926, Bonn, Germany—died October 1, 2013, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.) was a Spanish American political scientist who was especially known for his examination of democratic and authoritarian governments.

Linz was born in Germany to Spanish parents. He obtained a law degree from the University of Madrid and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He taught in Spain and elsewhere in Europe, as well as at Yale University, where he later served as professor emeritus. His analysis of authoritarianism and democratic transitions increased attention to the potential fragility of posttotalitarian and postauthoritarian democratic systems. In 1996 Linz received the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, awarded annually by the Johan Skytte Foundation at Uppsala University for “the most valuable contribution to political science.” He wrote several books, including (with Alfred C. Stepan) Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe (1996) and Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes (2000).