The Irony Of Democracy: An Uncommon Introduction To American Politics (Thomson Advantage Books)

A part of our successful new ADVANTAGE SERIES in Political Science, THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACY, offers a critical approach to the American Government course with a new low price. Known for its "elitist approach" to American Government, this text presents its classic argument in a new context—the politics of the 21st century--including the Clinton and Bush Administrations effects on government and politics the U.S. In this Thirteenth Edition, the authors again present their theme, contending that it is the elites and not the masses that govern our country, eloquently and accessibly, and for most students, challenging them to rethink the principle of democracy.

Thomas R. Dye is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Florida State University. He received his B.S. and M.A. from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles on American government and public policy. Dye has served as president of the Southern Political Science Association, president of the Policy Studies Organization, and secretary of the American Political Science Association. He is the recipient of the Harold Laswell Award for career contributions to the study of public policy and the Donald C. Stone Award for career contributions to the study of federalism. He received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2001 from Penn State's College of Liberal Arts. Dye has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia. He served as visiting scholar at Bar-Elan University, Israel, and the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.

Harmon Zeigler taught at numerous universities, including Florida State University, Emory University, the University of Georgia, the University of Oregon, State University of New York (Stony Brook), New York University, and the University of Washington. Abroad, he taught at the University of Oslo, Sydney University, and Passau University. In addition to THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACY: AN UNCOMMON INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN POLITICS, he and Thomas R. Dye wrote AMERICAN POLITICS IN THE MEDIA AGE. His other books include INTEREST GROUPS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY; GOVERNING AMERICAN SCHOOLS (with Kent Jennings); THE QUEST FOR RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT (with Harvey Tucker); THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY, PLURALISM, CORPORATISM AND CONFUCIANISM; and POLITICAL PARTIES IN INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES. He received two Fulbright awards and was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 1970.