James Allen Thurber (born May 29, 1943) is university distinguished professor of government and founder (1979) and former director (1979-2016) of the Center for Congressional andPresidential Studies (american.edu/spa/ccps) and affiliate distinguished professor ofpublic administration and policy at American University, Washington, D.C. He isauthor or editor of numerous books and more than 90 articles and chapters on Congress,the U.S. presidency, interest groups and lobbying, and campaigns and elections.