Political Science

The Rise of American Democracy by Sean Wilentz In this magisterial work, Sean Wilentz traces a historical arc from the earliest days of the republic to the opening shots of the Civil War. One of our finest writers of history, Wilentz brings to life the era after the American Revolution, when the idea of democracy remained contentious, and Jeffersonians and Federalists clashed over the role of ordinary citizens in government of, by, and for the people. The triumph of Andrew Jackson soon defined this role on the national level, while city democrats, Anti-Masons, fugitive slaves, and a host of others hewed their own local definitions. In these definitions Wilentz recovers the beginnings of a discontenttwo starkly opposed democracies, one in the North and another in the Southand the wary balance that lasted until the election of Abraham Lincoln sparked its bloody resolution. 75 illustrations.

Challenging Authority by Frances Fox Piven Challenging Authority argues that ordinary people exercise extraordinary political courage and power in American politics when, frustrated by politics as usual, they rise up in anger and hope and defy the authorities and the status quo rules that ordinarily govern their daily lives. By doing so, they disrupt the workings of important institutions and become a force in American politics. Drawing on critical episodes in American history, Frances Fox Piven shows that it is precisely at those seismic moments when people act outside of self-restricting political norms that they become empowered to their full democratic potential.

Greeks and Romans Bearing Gifts by Carl J. Richard This lively and engaging book is the only popular work to explore the profound impact of Ancient Greece and Rome on the founding fathers. Recounting the stirring stories the founders encountered in their favorite histories of Greece and Rome, renowned scholar Carl J. Richard explores what they learned from these vivid tales and how they applied these lessons to their own heroic quest to win American independence and establish a durable republic.

Congress and Diaspora Politics by James A. Thurber (Editor); David A. Dulio (Editor) Congress and Diaspora Politics examines the impact of lobbying efforts by domestic ethnic groups and foreign governments on US policymaking. Over time, the number and variety of ethnic groups have grown, and foreign governments have increasingly turned to professional lobbyists rather than relying on their diplomatic corps to cultivate relationships with Congress. The case studies presented here examine this new lobbying environment by focusing on Jewish American, Muslim American, and Cuban American interest groups as well as lobbying efforts by the governments of Turkey, Armenia, Mexico, and others. They explore the strategies, tactics, and resources utilized to impact policymaking. The volume also offers perspectives of those who have worked on both sides of the lobbying equation--"a view from K Street" (the lobbying side) and "a view from the Hill" (the congressional side). Finally, challenges lawmakers face when diaspora interests intersect with national interests are covered.

American Constitutional History by Jack Fruchtman Reveals how the Constitution has evolved over the past 235 years, featuring updated coverage of the 2020 presidential election and constitutional changes made by the Supreme Court up to June 2021 American Constitutional History: A Brief Introduction, Second Edition presents a concise and accessible history of the 235-year development of the Constitution since its ratification. The book is organized around five distinct periods in U.S. history--the New Republic, the Slave Republic, the Free-Market Republic, the Social Welfare Republic, and the Contemporary Republic--to demonstrate the evolution of the American republic and its founding document over time. With an engaging narrative approach, author Jack Fruchtman describes how constitutional changes have occurred through both formal amendments and informal decisions by the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Updated to cover the period from 2015 to 2021, the second edition examines the controversial presidential election of 2020 in which Donald Trump, despite losing the electoral and popular vote, claimed victory and espoused charges of widespread election fraud. New coverage of the addition of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court is complemented by discussion of important decisions made after 2015, including affirming same-sex marriage, a woman's right to abortion under certain circumstances, the right to own and carry a firearm, and the central place of religious liberty in American society. This book also: Highlights the Constitution's evolution through government regulation of the economy, individual and civil rights, and executive power Reflects the evolution of constitutional changes made by the Supreme Court up to June 2021 Discusses topics such as the ideological origins of the U.S Constitution, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the civil rights movement, and growth of executive power Includes chapter overviews, summaries, and descriptions of formal constitutional amendments ratified by the states American Constitutional History: A Brief Introduction, Second Edition is an excellent introductory textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in American history and political science and a must-read for general readers seeking insights into the origins and evolution of the U.S. Constitution.

Legislative Style by Tracy Sulkin; William Bernhard Once elected, members of Congress face difficult decisions about how to allocate their time and effort. On which issues should they focus? What is the right balance between working in one's district and on Capitol Hill? How much should they engage with the media to cultivate a national reputation? William Bernhard and Tracy Sulkin argue that these decisions and others define a "legislative style" that aligns with a legislator's ambitions, experiences, and personal inclinations, as well as any significant electoral and institutional constraints. Bernhard and Sulkin have developed a systematic approach for looking at legislative style through a variety of criteria, including the number of the bills passed, number of speeches given, amount of money raised, and the percentage of time a legislator voted in line with his or her party. Applying this to ten congresses, representing twenty years of congressional data, from 1989 to 2009, they reveal that legislators' activity falls within five predictable styles. These styles remain relatively consistent throughout legislators' time in office, though a legislator's style can change as career goals evolve, as well as with changes to individual or larger political interests, as in redistricting or a majority shift. Offering insight into a number of enduring questions in legislative politics, Legislative Style is a rich and nuanced account of legislators' activity on Capitol Hill.  

The United States Congress by E. Scott Adler; Jeffery A. Jenkins; Charles R. Shipan Scott Adler, Jeff Jenkins, and Chuck Shipan bring current political science into the classroom in an engaging and accessible way. Driven by vivid examples and clear writing, this comprehensive text asks students to think critically about Congress's role as a representative and governing body; its key rules, structures, and procedures; and its dynamic interactions with other institutions.

Interest Groups and Lobbying by Thomas T. Holyoke Interest Groups and Lobbying shows how political organizations and their lobbyists play a crucial role in how policy is made in the United States. It cuts through the myths and misconceptions about interest groups and lobbyists with an accessible and comprehensive text supported by real world examples and the latest research. New to the Second Edition - Fully updates and expands the discussion of social media and other online activity engaged in by interest groups, showing that they have become more sophisticated in their use of the internet - especially social media - for keeping current members informed and for their advocacy work. - New case studies on more recent advocacy efforts. - Updated data used in the book, including: - Total number and types of interest groups lobbying in Washington, DC - Total number and types of interest groups lobbying in the fifty states - Data on campaign contributions - Data on amicus briefs and case sponsorship - Data on stages of the lawmaking process where interest groups appear to lobby the most - New data on revolving-door lobbyists

American Federalism and Individual Rights by Stephanie Mora Walls The protection of individual rights and the division of power between the national government and the states are core principles upon which American governance is built, but how well do these concepts work together and to what extent could they be at cross purposes? American Federalism and Individual Rights presents both of these founding concepts and explores their compatibility through policy-specific studies, including civil rights, education, marriage equality, and physician-assisted death. Written for anyone interested in American politics, the author presents all of the foundational information one would need to make their own assessment of how federalism works to either promote or undermine the protection of the individual in these policy areas along with suggestions for further study.

Political Advertising in the United States by Erika Franklin Fowler; Michael M. Franz; Travis N. Ridout Political Advertising in the United States examines the volume, distribution, content, and effects of political advertising in congressional and presidential elections. The book considers the role of television ads using extensive data on ad airings on local broadcast stations. It also analyzes newly available data on paid digital ads, including ads on Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube. The book covers the role of outside groups in airing ads, including the rise of dark money groups and gaps in existing federal campaign finance laws around transparency of outside group spending. The authors consider how ad sponsors design and target ads. They also review the positive and negative implications of an electoral system where billions are spent on paid advertising. With detailed analysis of presidential and congressional campaign ads and discussion questions in each chapter, this accessibly written book is a must-read for students, scholars, and practitioners who want to understand the ins and outs of political advertising. New to the Second Edition - Covers the spending, content, and tone of political advertising in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and the 2018 midterms, looking ahead to 2022 and 2024. - Addresses the interference of foreign actors in elections and their connection to political advertising. - Expands the discussion of digital political advertising and incorporates this topic into every chapter. - Adds a new chapter specifically addressing digital ad content and spending. - Includes data from the Facebook, Google, and Snapchat ad libraries and explores the role of these companies in regulating the sale of political advertising. - Incorporates new data on the effects of race and gender in advertising, including what is known about the way in which advertising may activate prejudicial attitudes.

The American Presidency by Sidney M. Milkis; Michael Nelson The American Presidency examines the constitutional foundation of the executive office and the social, economic, political, and international forces that have reshaped it along with the influence individual presidents have had. Authors Sidney Milkis and Michael Nelson look at each presidency broadly, focusing on how individual presidents have sought to navigate the complex and ever-changing terrain of the executive office and revealing the major developments that launched a modern presidency at the dawn of the twentieth century. By connecting presidential conduct to the defining eras of American history and the larger context of politics and government in the United States, this award-winning book offers perspective and insight on the limitations and possibilities of presidential power.