Description
Their shared perspective on politics--that political actors pursue goals informed by self-interest--has guided the selection of readings that Kernell and Smith have assembled for students of American politics. This is not to say that politics cannot lead to good public policy, they add. They arrange them in sections on designing institutions; the constitutional framework; federalism; civil rights civil liberties; Congress; the presidency; the bureaucracy; the judiciary; public opinion; voting, campaigns, and elections; political parties; interest groups; and news media. The topics span from the framing of the Constitution to the Trump campaign. Annotation ©2018 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
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Combining timeless readings with cutting-edge articles and essays, Principles and Practice of American Politics, Seventh Edition, enriches your understanding of the American political system by examining the strategic behavior of key players in U.S. politics. This collection of classic and contemporary readings brings concepts to life by providing you with real examples of how political actors are influenced by the strategies of others and are governed by the Constitution, the law, and institutional rules. Carefully edited by award-winning authors Samuel Kernell and Steven S. Smith, each reading is put into context to help you understand how political actions fall within a major national political forum.New to the Seventh Edition Nine new and updated essays encourage you to reflect on the continuing debates over the polarization of the American electorate and Congress, the role of social media and “fake news” in influencing public views of politicians and issues, the fragile Trump coalition, the efficacy of polling in tracking public opinion, and other issues more relevant than ever in the wake of the 2016 elections. Additional essays challenge you to think more carefully about alternative institutions and political arrangements. The new essays present institutions of majority rule, the nature of racial discrimination, and the proper role of the court as less settled issues that provide students an opportunity to think through (and discuss) their views on the future direction of American civic life. Each selection is artfully framed by Kernell and Smith’s contextual headnotes to make them appropriate for classroom use. Original readings written specifically for the volume give the book a coherent treatment of the performance of U.S. political institutions.
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