For every chapter a special effort could be made to fully integrate the experiences and writings of people of color. No Rating Yet Discover. The textbook is consistent and the framework is adhered to in each chapter. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers An innovative inclusion is that, in addition to the standard chapter on federalism, American Government (2e) also includes a separate chapter (14) on State and Local Governments. I appreciate the spacing of the material, and think that it makes it very clear and readable. This is the first time that I have thoroughly reviewed an open source textbook for potential use in a course, and I was impressed by the overall quality of the book. It covers necessary topics clearly and comprehensively. There are numerous ways to define or describe political power, and they should be conveyed in the textbook. font-weight: 400; Reviewed by Eric Goddard, Lecturer, Trine University on 5/28/19, The book is comprehensive, covering the major topics one would expect to find in a U.S. government textbook. While some textbooks do delve deeper into certain subjects (seemingly at random), it is good to see a textbook that offers nuts and bolts that will make it usable to nearly any instructor, allowing them ample room to discuss areas of their expertise without conflicting with the textbook. Reading and writing support such as guided notes, vocabulary pop-ups, and graphic organizers help improve understanding of the content. The material offered more than meets the appropriate standard for a textbook used in a first or second year course in American Government and Politics. Welcome to our textbook for the year. A Constitutional Democracy Interactive Notebook, which works for both print and Google Drive, investigates and helps gain an understanding of how the federal, state, and local governments in the United States work under the Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship. The text features sophisticated and accessible prose. This text could very easily replace the book I have used The book seemed to use inclusive examples--for example, the racial breakdown of the federal judiciary. At the time this edition was written, the information in figure 3.17, presented data on the legality of same sex marriage by state in our country in an easily understood and precise manner. As other agents of socialization dont seem to educate students in how essential their participation is to a healthy democratic system, any text that emphasizes and provides easy ways to engage in politics is welcome. V. Democracy (pp. read more. Important terms are underlined throughout the text making it easier for students to see the terms they should know for testing. Although the book does not add a specific domestic policy area, the choice of three areas on domestic policy, foreign policy and state and local government is refreshing. I made significant checks throughout the textbook and found it to accurate in the information provided. But the chapter in Foreign Affairs (Chap 17) is thin and needs more meat. By avoiding the topics and the conversations, the text is not allowing students to civically engage in discussions and learning. Following each chapter are a glossary and comprehension/study questions. For example, section 1.3 shows up as not converted. But I would rather have it smaller so I To learn more about how the presi-dent makes important decisions and leads our nation, view the Democracy in A democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small . As for "flow," here again I suggest that there are too many "Note" interruptions to the readings. 266-267, and the Electoral College, the idea of achieving a tie vote is irrelevant. Reviewed by Wayne Jones, Assistant Professor, Virginia State University on 6/20/17, American Government is a very comprehensive textbook. read more, The chapters in the Kurtz et al e-book covers all relevant chapters of American Government and even offers chapters on Foreign policy, Domestic policy and State and Local government. The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something like the Kernell book, but on balance thats a good thing). The unit heading probably need more explanation and their rationale for selecting the chapters under each unit topic spelled out. Although in the last decade I have opted for brief editions of American government, in an electronic format a longer text is useful for The text's content also features an excellent collection of relevant, recent landmark Supreme Court cases, including Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and Obergefell v. Hodges. When you become a U.S. citizen, you also make these promises: give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) do important work for the nation (if needed) The writing is clear and concise. Very well done. I think that's important to show that most of the world's nations do operate with a democratic framework. I am seriously considering using this text the next time I teach introduction to American Government. I found the book to be clear and precise in its discussions and presentation of material. Of course the book's "longevity" is not likely to be long just because of the nature of the subject matter. This text can definitely be broken down not only by chapter but by sections. The term is derived from the Greek dmokratia, which was coined from dmos ("people") and kratos ("rule") in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens. The text did not include culturally offensive material and seemed inclusive in its examples and discussion. The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker in 1142 1, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth 2. Reviewed by Matthew Jacobsmeier, Associate Professor, West Virginia University on 4/15/20, The book covers all the main topics that good introductory American Government textbooks typically cover and also includes chapters on topics that are not covered in detail in many textbooks. The content is up-to-date including most of the Trump presidency, which is helpful for students' understanding and familiarity. Other mainstream textbooks will generally issue an updated edition every few years to include the outcomes of new presidential elections. But the Krutz book has won back my confidence. Chapters provide plenty of information for pedagogical instruction; which is well organized. In my view, chapters four and five are stellar and provide alternative voices to the narrative. And a printed version is also available for those who prefer it (including me!) In recent years rather than being an efficient mechanism for collective decision-making and progress, democracy seems to be fueling discord, division, and distrust of the other side. Enlightened understanding 4. ISBN. Finally, the "further reading" section is missing major works. Key terms are included at the end of each chapter. A textbook with a framework as solid as this will not go out-of-date quickly. Other similar books dive too deeply for my purposes into the minutiae of government without providing concepts or making those concepts too academic sounding. I think the flow of the book is clear, with different headings and images to explain the material. Complete List of Documents. Reviewed by Leo Keneally, Associate Professor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 3/29/19, The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. The printed version (and online replica version) has all review questions at back of each chapter, without answers provided, the way I wanted it. The clearer organization is a benefit to undergraduate students who may be taking the course as a required course. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. The book is internally consistent. The 2020 census will alter the reapportionment section on Congress and the Electoral College. The pure number of citations is impressive, however they are shown to the reader throughout a chapter in a separated gray box. The authors updated the contents reflecting current events and political landscape. I am especially excited about he design combining theory and practice and critical thinking. While each citizen only has a small say, they do have some say in how the government is run and who runs the government. Such can pose a roadblock for the easily distracted student or the person using the aid of a text reader. In each chapter, there are charts, diagrams, pictures from the news media that are appropriate, and informative that connect with the material in the chapter. The information presented in the text book is accurate and comparable to all other books I have used on the market. This is not, however, a reason not to use the book as currently written and hope that it is appropriately updated in the years ahead. Using a free text ensures that all students will HAVE the book, which has been a problem for me in recent years with 'standard' texts. Maybe not from top to bottom, but often enough that it is a concern. Its publication in 1997 was well received in Russia; it has had significant influence within the Russian military, police, and foreign policy elites, [1] [2] and has been used as a textbook in the Academy . It even has a chapter on Local government and two policy chapters, Domestic and Foreign. I think it does an excellent review of the issue of slavery and how it impacted US government. I like the fact that the authors attempt to present both sides in discussing problems and issues which contributes to an unbias pr Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that is not reductive. The index and glossary are well formulated. The textbook is consistently outlined. 11.1 seems to overstate the present state of equality in Congressional elections, especially given voter suppression. The required terminology for the curriculum is present with context in every chapter. LGBT rights seem to be given less treatment than African American rights. So concludes a recent study by Princeton University Prof Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Prof Benjamin I Page. Obviously, fundamental concepts such as the origins of the republic and the founding era need to be at the beginning of the book. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. This means that our government is elected by citizens. This follows from previous comments. read more. This has become such an important issue. This course must give freshman students the conceptual baseline tools to advance to the next grade. Also, the hyperlinked notes provide a way for students who want to learn more about an issue. The text will be accessible to students. I am also not sure that the students will click on the hyperlinks unless they are told to specifically read them. Where is the concept of deterrence? Overall, the textbook is written in a traditional format. The index is useful. Overall it is a bit smaller in word count than a traditional hard copy textbook and some of the chapters are smaller than I would like. The material is easily divisible. The text is also 100% iPad compatible. I think students would have an easier time digesting the information in this book than some of the other textbooks I have used. PDF EBOOK United States Government Democracy In Action. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. United States Government: Our Democracy allows students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels. In updates to this text, it may be useful to search for more contemporary illustrations of key concepts, and this would be a relatively easy fix to implement. Understanding Economics. font-weight: 400; for only $40. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range.
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