New Directions in Congressional Politics (New Directions in American Politics)

As the U.S. Congress has steadily evolved since the Founding of our nation, so too has our understanding of the institution. The second edition of New Directions in Congressional Politics offers an accessible overview of the current developments in our understanding of America’s legislative branch. Jamie L. Carson and Michael S. Lynch help students bridge the gap between roles, rules, and outcomes by focusing on a variety of thematic issues: the importance of electoral considerations, legislators’ strategic behavior to accomplish objectives, the unique challenges of Congress as a bicameral institution in a polarized environment, and the often-overlooked policy outputs of the institution.

This book brings together leading scholars of Congress to provide a general overview of the entire field. Each chapter covers the cutting-edge developments on its respective topic. As the political institution responsible for enacting laws, the American public regularly looks to the U.S. Congress to address the important issues of the day. The contributors in this volume help explain why staying atop the research trends helps us better understand these issues in the ever-changing field of American politics.

New to the Second Edition

• New and updated chapters highlighting party recruitment, redistricting, women in Congress, the nationalization of Congressional elections, and the reassertion of Congressional oversight.
• A first look at Congressional-executive relations in the Trump era.
• Updated data through the 2018 Midterm elections.

Jamie L. Carson is the UGA Athletic Association Professor of Public and International Affairs II in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia. His research interests include the U.S. Congress, congressional elections, separation of powers, and American political development. Recent books include Electoral Incentives in Congress (with Joel Sievert), The Politics of Congressional Elections, 10th edition (with Gary Jacobson), and Change and Continuity in the 2016 and 2018 Elections (with John Aldrich, Brad Gomez, and David Rohde).

Michael S. Lynch is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia, where his research focuses on legislative rules and procedure as well as interbranch conflict. He is currently working on a book project (with Anthony Madonna) that explores when Congress decides to record their votes and what this means for the link between constituents and their representatives.