Synopses & Reviews
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY: THE ESSENTIALS 2011-2012 EDITION inspires students to join the exciting process of being active, informed citizens. Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt provide an unbiased and concisely organized overview of this essential subject, updated with complete Election 2010 coverage and the latest on the economic downturn and recovery policy. The text's fundamental theme continues to be the importance of participating in active citizenship, emphasizing continual critical thinking about political issues, and encouraging students to become involved in the political process. With a keen understanding of the needs and interests of today's students, the authors incorporate abundant current examples, including increased coverage of the impact of the Internet and other media, to stimulate learning and excitement. The text is redesigned for even greater reader appeal.
Review
"One of the strengths of this textbook is the fact that it offers comparisons and contrasts with other countries. . . . It also seems to be really keeping the demographic makeup of the students in mind, and [this is] something that would definitely resonate with the students. The students appreciate the discussion of various countries and diverse groups of people. In short, they like to see themselves in what they are reading. . . . Another highlight is that [the book] builds on the previous chapter's information. This is great. Finally,... the book is very up-to-speed." -- Lisa Perez-Nichols, Austin Community College
Review
"For as long as I have anything to say about it, I will continue to use this book. It really is the best one on the market."-- Matthew Hansel , McHenry County College
About the Author
Barbara A. Bardes is professor emerita of political science at the University of Cincinnati. She received her B.A. and M.A. from Kent State University and her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati. She served as a faculty member in political science and dean of Mundelein College at Loyola University of Chicago. In 1993, she was appointed dean of Raymond Walters College of the University of Cincinnati, where she served until 2003. She returned to the political science department where she held the position of graduate director before retiring. Bardes has written articles on public and foreign policy, and women and politics. She also has co-authored DECLARATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE: WOMEN AND POLITICAL POWER IN 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN NOVELS, THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC OPINION: MEASURING THE AMERICAN MIND, and AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TODAY. Mack C. Shelley, II is a professor of political science and statistics at Iowa State University. After receiving his bachelor's degree from American University in Washington, DC, he went on to graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received a master's degree in Economics and a Ph.D. in Political Science. He arrived at Iowa State in 1979. From 1993 to 2002 he served as elected co-editor of the POLICY STUDIES JOURNAL. Shelley has also published numerous articles, books, and monographs on public policy, including THE PERMANENT MAJORITY: THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS; BIOTECHNOLOGY AND THE RESEARCH ENTERPRISE: A GUIDE TO THE LITERATURE (with William F. Woodman and Brian J. Reichel); AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY: THE CONTEMPORARY AGENDA (with Steven G. Koven and Bert E. Swanson); and QUALITY RESEARCH IN LITERACY AND SCIENCE EDUCATION: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES AND GOLD STANDARDS (with Larry Yore and Brian Hand). Steffen W. Schmidt is a professor of political science at Iowa State University. He grew up in Colombia, South America, and has studied in Colombia, Switzerland, and France. He has a B.A. from Rollins College and obtained his Ph.D. from Columbia University, New York, in public law and government. Schmidt has published fourteen books and over one hundred and thirty articles in scholarly journals and is the recipient of numerous prestigious teaching prizes, including the Amoco Award for Lifetime Career Achievement in Teaching and the Teacher of the Year award. He is a pioneer in the use of web-based and real-time video courses and is a member of the American Political Science Association's section on Computers and Multimedia. He is known as "Dr. Politics" for his extensive commentary on US politics in US and international media. He is a weekly blogger for Gannett, comments on CNN en Espanol and Univision as well as WNYC, New York. He's on Facebook (SteffenWSchmidt) and Twitter (DrPolitics).
Table of Contents
PART I: THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. 1. The Democratic Republic. 2. The Constitution. 3. Federalism. PART II: CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES. 4. Civil Liberties. 5. Civil Rights. PART III: PEOPLE AND POLITICS. 6. Public Opinion and Political Socialization. 7. Interest Groups. 8. Political Parties. 9. Campaigns, Elections, and the Media. PART IV: POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 10. The Congress. 11. The President. 12. The Bureaucracy. 13. The Courts. PART V: PUBLIC POLICY. 14. Domestic and Economic Policy. 15. Foreign Policy. Appendix A: The Declaration of Independence. Appendix B: How to Read Case Citations and Find Court Decisions. Appendix C: Federalist Papers No. 10, No. 51, and No. 78. Appendix D: Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court Since 1900. Appendix E: Party Control of Congress Since 1900. Appendix F: Presidents of the United States. Glossary. Index.