Government By the People: 2009 National Edition

Building on decades of authoritative scholarship, this completely updated text continues to offer accessible, carefully crafted, and straightforward coverage of the foundations of American politics, as well consistent focus on the achievements of a government by the people

In an increasingly cynical world, GBTP emphasizes that politics matters and encourages, motivates, and even inspires students–with accounts of individual and collective acts of courageousness, intellect, and integrity in the political arena–to be effective and informed citizens.  

With each chapter now framed by nationally-selected learning objectives and chapter mastery self-tests, several compelling new features, and an all new contemporary design, this thoroughly updated Twenty-Third Edition continues in the book’s long tradition for excellence.  As we enter this very complex political era, there is no more reliable or more relevant text to help you advance your students from being simple onlookers to knowledgeable participants in the American political experience.

Features:

• History Makers. Reinforcing the importance of being an active participant in–and contributor to–political change, this inspirational feature profiles influential political figures, some contemporary, some historical.   History Makers features active people representing divergent parties, ideologies, and agendas, but all sharing the common trait of engagement in the political process, from America's most important public servants to its ordinary, and sometimes, extraordinary, citizens, including FDR, LBJ, Martin Luther King, Jr., William Rehnquist, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. 

• The Changing Face of U.S. Politics. Exemplifying the ever-increasing level of diversity in the American political landscape, including how race and gender are changing the way the American government works, these unique boxes reflect the concerns and experiences of ethnic and minority groups in American politics..

• How Other Nations Govern.  These data-rich boxes give students insight into foreign political structures and processes by looking at a diverse group of countries, including Britain, France, Japan, India, China, and Mexico, and showing how their approaches to government are similar to and different from those of the United States.

• NEW! MyPoliSciLab, also available in Blackboard and WebCT platforms.

New to this Edition:

• A Framework of Learning Pedagogy.   A Master List of Objectives appears in the front of the book, providing an inventory of the concepts students must master to complete the course.  These Objectives reappear at the beginning of each chapter―as part of the opening spread―highlighting learning goals, while Individual Objectives and key coverage is called out in the text margins.  A Summary and Self-test at the end of each chapter provides students with a final check of their understanding.  Learning Objectives were compiled through nationwide surveys of instructors on their course goals. 
• You Will Decide.  Being part of a government by the people requires consideration of, and decisions on, differing points of view.  This feature explores in-the-news questions like the impact of third-party candidates, the advantages and disadvantages of a national presidential primary, and the need for restrictions on civil liberties during the war on terror and then asks students to weigh options for resolving the issue.
• Generation Next.  This engaging feature presents information about Generation Next―America’s current crop of16-25 year old’s―drawn from Pew research and other sources showing this cohort’s issues, values, and challenges as they relate to specific research questions such as partisan differences, the rise of small campaign donors, search and seizure in the age of terrorism, and levels of patriotism.  Comparisons with older voters and demographic breakdowns help students understand where they fit and why government matters to them.  Each box concludes with several critical thinking questions.