Synopses & Reviews
Review
"I am very pleased with the quality of the scholarship, writing style, clarity and analysis exhibited by the work of Drs. Wilson, DiIulio, and Bose. I am also pleased with the manner in which the publisher has packaged and presented the textbook and the ancillary materials. This is as solid and intellectually honest a textbook as one could hope for. It should be the standard by which all others are measured. The emphasis on students using their critical thinking skills to reach conclusions on issues of the day provides a firm foundation for their future growth as citizens of this country. In conclusion, I think that this is the finest American Government textbook available today. The authors combine excellent scholarship, academic rigor, practical examples and insights which makes this text an invaluable aid to any student trying to understand their government." - Junius Koonce, Edgecombe Community College
Review
"Policy as an output of government gets a better showing in this text than in most."- Virgil H. Davis, Pellissippi State Community College
Review
"I immensely like the writing style and level; it reads like a story, exactly what will keep my students engaged." =- Philip Aka, Chicago State University
Review
"What attracts me most about your text is the compelling balance it achieves between style and substance."- Ethan Fishman, University of South Alabama
About the Author
James Q. Wilson most recently taught at Boston College and Pepperdine University. He was Professor Emeritus of Management and Public Administration at UCLA and was previously Shattuck Professor of Government at Harvard University. He wrote more than a dozen books on the subjects of public policy, bureaucracy, and political philosophy. He was president of the American Political Science Association (APSA), and he is the only political scientist to win three of the four lifetime achievement awards presented by the APSA. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, in 2003. Professor Wilson passed away in March of 2012 after battling cancer. His work helped shape the field of political science in the United States. His many years of service to his American Government book remain evident on every page and will continue for many editions to come. John J. DiIulio, Jr. is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, and has won each of Penn's most prestigious teaching awards. He was previously Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He received his Ph. D. in Political Science from Harvard University. He has been a senior fellow and directed research programs at several leading think tanks including the Brookings Institution, and has won awards from the Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management, the American Political Science Association, and other bodies. He has advised presidential candidates in both parties, served on bipartisan government reform commissions, and worked as a senior staff member in the White House. Meena Bose holds the Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies at Hofstra University and directs Hofstra's Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency. She received her Ph.D. (1996) from Princeton University. Dr. Bose teaches courses on the American Presidency, American Foreign Policy, and American Politics. She is the author or editor of several volumes in presidency studies and American politics. She taught for six years at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Table of Contents
Part I: THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. 1. The Study of American Government. 2. The Constitution. 3. Federalism. 4. American Political Culture. 5. Civil Liberties. 6. Civil Rights. Part II: OPINIONS, INTERESTS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 7. Public Opinion. 8. Political Participation. 9. Political Parties. 10. Elections and Campaigns. 11. Interest Groups. 12. The Media. Part III: INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. 13. Congress. 14. The Presidency. 15. The Bureaucracy. 16. The Judiciary. Part IV: THE POLITICS OF PUBLIC POLICY. 17. Domestic Policy. 18. Foreign and Military Policy. Part V: THE NATURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. 19. Who Governs? To What Ends?