Governing States and Localities - Softcover

Smith, Kevin B.; Greenblatt, Alan H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1506360262 ISBN 13: 9781506360263

Publisher: CQ Press, 2017

Synopsis

The partisan and ideological polarization associated with federal government plagues states and localities too, bringing with it significant implications for public policy and intergovernmental relations. The trusted and proven Governing States and Localities guides students through these issues and continues its focus on the role economic and budget pressures play. With their engaging journalistic writing and crisp storytelling, Kevin B. Smith and Alan Greenblatt employ a comparative approach to explain how and why states and localities are both similar and different in institutional structure, culture, history, economy, geography, and demographics. A great blend of high-quality academic analysis and the latest scholarship, the Sixth Edition is thoroughly updated to account for such major developments as state vs. federal conflicts over immigration reform, gun control, and voter rights; health and education reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of state and local government service delivery; and the lingering effects of the Great Recession.

About this title

About the Author:

Kevin B. Smith is professor and chair of the political science department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been studying and teaching state politics and policy for more than twenty years. He has authored or co-authored nine books and dozens of scholarly articles, and is a former associate editor of State Politics & Policy Quarterly. Prior to becoming an academic he covered state and local politics as a newspaper reporter. 

Review:

"Governing States and Localities is an excellent, full-coverage textbook that successfully highlights the variation of states across time and space. The authors provide many interesting and current real-life examples to highlight the relevancy of the material. The text has a strong analytical and empirical focus, while remaining accessible and engaging." Author: Andrea McAtee

"This is the best book I have encountered on state and local government. Smith and Greenblatt combine a wealth of information on states and localities in a variety of different ways, including the presentation of engaging vignettes, illuminating statistical charts, and the latest research on major topics in the field. At the same time, they build students’ skills so that they can consider the information from a comparative perspective. What more can you ask for?" Author: Douglas Kuberski

"Governing States and Localities is the best state and local textbook available. It is flexible and adaptable to suit a variety of instructor strengths. Student responses to the book have always been very positive. The comparative approach comes across vividly through analytical presentation and engaging vignettes, and the content is well-written and visually inviting." Author: Scott Moore

"Governing States and Localities is engaging and informative. The authors balance different ideological perspectives in this solid introduction to state and local government. This book will always serve as a good resource for future research to any student who holds on to it." Author: Michael Bobic

About this edition

• Publisher: CQ Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1506360262
• ISBN 13: 9781506360263
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 6
• Number of pages: 632