With new features and thoroughly updated through the Bush Administration, the midterm elections and the 108th Congress, the war on terror, and the potential war with Iraq, the number one book in American government continues to provide a current and engaging introduction to the course. This Alternate Edition is the comprehensive version of O'Connor and Sabato's text without the policy chapters, and diligently reflects the "Continuity and Change" theme as it is written in the belief that we must first understand how American government and politics have developed in order to fully understand the issues facing our nation today.
Features:
- NEW! American Values/American Voices features examine the shared values that unite American citizens. American political culture, with its emphasis on liberty, equality, and individualism, as well as other values, is the glue that holds Americans together. Differing views of what it means to adhere to these values, however, often create conflict and division—especially in the policy arena. American Values/American Voices boxes are intended to help students understand the passionate beliefs and common concerns that underlie the controversies being debated on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in statehouses and homes across the United States. Topics discussed include U.S. efforts to promote democracy abroad, changes in government policy related to the Establishment Clause, voting rights for ex-felons, and veterans running for office.
- "The Living Constitution" reflects the authors’ emphasis on the origins of America’s democratic system. The Constitution of the United States of America, carefully annotated to make it accessible to students, is placed between Chapters 2 and 3, providing students with a careful walkthrough of this seminal document. To further support the text’s emphasis on the constitutional underpinnings of government and politics, a Living Constitution boxed feature appears in every chapter. Each feature examines the chapter's topic in light of what the Constitution says or does not say about it. Living Constitution boxes are broken down into four components. Each one begins with an excerpt from the Constitution related to that chapter's topic; defines the meaning of the excerpt; explains the historical context of the excerpt, noting what the Framers were thinking about or reacting to in this portion of the document; and covers why the excerpted clause continues to be relevant, noting recent court cases or ongoing debates or challenges related to it.
- "Politics Now" boxes provide in-depth examinations of contemporary issues, showcasing the book's currency and serving as a counterbalance to the text's thorough treatment of America’s origins and history. New boxes discuss the Roberts Court, same-sex marriage-related initiatives and amendments in the 2006 Midterm elections, and the impact of illegal immigration on social welfare programs.
- "Join the Debate" boxes explore provocative, student-oriented topics and provide extensive, well-balanced coverage of both sides of a debate. Each box begins with a topic overview, provides accessible and detailed summaries of opposing arguments related to the issue, and ends with critical thinking questions that allow students to examine their own stance on the topic and suggested readings for further research. New topics in this edition include minority party rights in Congress, the Senate’s advice and consent role, and the impact of state initiative and referendum movements.
- “Analyzing Visuals” boxed features ask students to closely examine and assess a variety of different types of images including photographs, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, and maps. Each feature includes an overview paragraph and critical thinking questions designed to guide students in a detailed analysis of the information.
- Analyzing Visuals: A Brief Guide is a primer that appears in the front of the text that provides the guidelines students need to analyze and interpret the different types of visual information they'll encounter as students and citizens.
- "Global Perspective" boxes underscore the commonalities and differences between the United States and other nations to provide students with a comparative perspective on a range of issues, such as freedom of the press, economic freedom, or American exceptionalism. Features new to this edition include examinations of the Mexican federal system, the Iraqi Constitution, Disability Rights and the European Union, and the Israeli Knesset.
- "On Campus" boxes contained in nearly every chapter of the text explore aspects of government or politics that are particularly relevant to college students. Topics range from trends in party affiliation among college students to recent Living Wage campaigns on campuses throughout the U.S.
- Superior coverage of the diverse groups comprising the American electorate is a hallmark of O’Connor/Sabato. Karen O’Connor, founder and director of the Women and Politics Institute in the School of Public Affairs at American University, draws on her own research as well as the work of other scholars to provide extensive coverage of the role of women in American government since the Founding. Gender issues and their close relationship with issues of race and ethnicity are addressed in every chapter of the text. Age, sexual orientation, and disability status are also examined throughout the book.
- MyPoliSciLab icons are included throughout the text's margins, and access to the web site comes at no additional charge when an access card is bundled with the book. MyPoliSciLab is a state of the art, interactive and instructive online solution for the American Government course offered within a course management system – CourseCompass, Blackboard, and Web CT – or as a website alone. MyPoliSciLab offers students a wealth of interactive exercises and a battery of assessment tools — all integrated with the on-line e-book. For each chapter of the text, students will navigate through a pre-test, post-test, chapter review, and a full chapter exam, all linked to the on-line e-book, so they can assess, review, and improve their understanding of the concepts within the chapters. In addition to the electronic chapter content and assessment, students will have access to a wealth of simulations, interactive timelines, comparative exercises, debate and roundtable videos, weekly polls, an hourly news feed from The New York Times, Research Navigator, writing resources, and much more.
New to this Edition:
The new Portable Version format provides all the material from the comprehensive text in four brief, paperback volumes, allowing students to study almost anywhere. The convenient, slender volumes can be easily carried to class, to the library, or on public transportation. Pagination is identical to the original text, so instructors can order both options for their students.
Each individual volume–Foundations, Institutions, Political Behavior, and Public Policy–contains a table of contents, notes, glossary, and an index, modified for the precise chapters within its covers. In addition, practice test questions appear at the back of each volume. Featuring approximately 30 multiple choice questions per chapter, the tests include answers so students can use them for self study.
NEW! American Values/American Voices feature American political culture, with its emphasis on liberty, equality, and individualism, as well as other values, is the glue that holds American citizens together. Differing views of what it means to adhere to these values, however, often create conflict and division—especially in the policy arena. American Values/American Voices boxes are intended to help students understand the passionate beliefs and common concerns that underlie the controversies being debated on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in statehouses and homes across the United States. Topics discussed include U.S. efforts to promote democracy abroad, changes in government policy related to the Establishment Clause, voting rights for ex-felons, and veterans running for office.
Classic American Government: Continuity and Change features have been overhauled to cover the latest topics in American politics, including:
- New "Politics Now" boxes discuss the Roberts Court, same-sex marriage-related initiatives and amendments in the 2006 Midterm elections, and the impact of illegal immigration on social welfare programs.
- New "Join the Debate" topics include minority party rights in Congress, the Senate’s advice and consent role, and the impact of state initiative and referendum movements.
- New "Global Perspective" boxes feature examinations of the Mexican federal system, the Iraqi Constitution, Disability Rights and the European Union, and the Israeli Knesset.
Chapter 1 now includes a subsection that discusses the importance of religious faith as an element of shared political culture in the United States, along with updated demographic data and an expanded discussion of the aging U.S. population. The ideology section now discusses the functions of ideology and contrasts traditional conservatism with social conservatism.
Chapter 2 includes new coverage of the Iraqi Constitution and how it compares with the U.S. Constitution.
Chapter 3 opens with a new vignette about governmental responses to Hurricane Katrina and includes an updated discussion of judicial devolution and the Roberts Court.
Chapter 4 covers state-level outcomes in the 2006 midterm elections and how party control of state government can have national ramifications. State minimum wage increase initiatives are also discussed.
Chapter 5 includes an expanded dis...
