American Government: Continuity and Change, 2008 Edition

Guided by the belief that students must first understand how American government developed to fully understand the issues facing the United States in the 21st century, O'Connor/Sabato offers the strongest coverage of both history and current events of any college textbook devoted to American politics. This best-selling book provides the historical context students need to understand our government and the most crucial and controversial issues affecting the nation.

American Government: Continuity and Change, has been extensively revised to provide the most in-depth and current coverage of the 2006 midterm elections, the second George W. Bush administration, the Iraq War, and increasing controversies related to the conduct of the war on terrorism, including renewed calls for additional congressional oversight of the Executive Branch. The new edition also emphasizes the extent to which shared American values shape and affect policy and influence key political conflicts.

Karen O’Connor is the Jonathan N. Helfat Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the founder and Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University.  Professor O'Connor has written, co-authored, and edited several books, including Gendering American Politics and Women, Politics, and American Society.  She currently serves as president-elect of the Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association.

Larry J. Sabato is a University Professor and the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, and serves as the Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.  His over 20 books include Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election, Get in the Booth: A Citizen’s Guide to the 2006 Midterm Elections, and the upcoming SIxth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency.