
- 446 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
American Government: Constitutional Democracy Under Pressure highlights the dangerous tension between our constitutional principles and institutions and the populist heat that sometimes roils our national politics, including at the current political moment. Our constitutional democracy has been under pressure for some time, but few would deny that fears for its fate have deepened in just the past few years. We assume that our political institutions will limit and contain contemporary populism, just as the Founders intended and as they have in the past, but will they? An increasingly polarized electorate, urging their representatives to fight and never to compromise, may be stressing Constitutional limits. This new edition offers to help American government teachers lead their students to a nuanced theoretical and practical understanding of what is happening in the politics of their Constitutional democracy today.
New to the Third Edition
- Further develops and highlights the distinguishing theme of the book, "Constitutional Democracy Under Pressure," in light of the Trump and Biden administrations.
- Expands coverage of all media aspects including fake news, social media, responsible journalism, and related topics including foreign manipulation of the news.
- Describes numerous ways in which the American political system has been affected by the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, and security concerns.
- Evaluates the evidence for increasing polarization in public opinion, voting behavior, and legislative politics.
- Explores the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions including controversial rulings on reproductive health, the separation of church and state, the environment, and presidential powers.
- Includes the most recent election results.
- Updates in all tables, figures, suggested readings plus photo updates throughout.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half-Title Page
- Endorsement
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Who to Believe
- Table of Contents
- Special Features
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- The Author
- Chapter 1 The Revolution and the Constitution
- Chapter 2 Federalism and the American Constitutional Order
- Chapter 3 Civil Liberties: Democracy and the Expansion of Liberty’s Realm
- Chapter 4 Civil Rights: Where Liberty and Equality Collide
- Chapter 5 Shaping Americans: Political Socialization, Public Opinion, and the Media
- Chapter 6 Factions Today: Interest Groups and Political Parties
- Chapter 7 Democracy’s Challenge: Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
- Chapter 8 Congress: Partisanship, Polarization, and Gridlock
- Chapter 9 The Executive Branch: The President, the Bureaucracy, and Executive Power
- Chapter 10 The Federal Courts: Bulwark of the Constitution?
- Appendix A The Declaration of Independence
- Appendix B Constitution of the United States
- Appendix C Federalist Number 10
- Index