Summary
Contents
Subject index
NEW TO THIS EDITION: A new chapter on civil rights and liberties (chapter 5) introduces students to a comparative look at rights and liberties, so that students can have a more holistic understanding of US politics. A new chapter on constitutional arrangements (chapter 6) introduces students to the uniqueness of the US Constitution, so that students can think more critically about the US Constitution in comparative perspective. An expanded chapter on institutions (chapter 7) provides comparative context to help students understand why legislative and executive branches together makes the most sense. The discussion on elections has been divided into two chapters - one on institutions (chapter 10) and one on behavior (chapter 11) - to make the topic easier to digest for students and easier to cover for instructors. New data around the 2016 general election and the 2018 midterm election offers students the most up-to-date information on elections and encourages students to explore how these elections are a reflection (or not) of American exceptionalism. A new textbox on far right political parties helps students to think critically about how different electoral and institutional arrangements impact how far right politics materializes in practice in various countries. New end of chapter material, including study questions, suggested readings and key words offer students multiple opportunities to further their knowledge of the content. KEY FEATURES: The balanced approach uniquely discusses and provides examples of similarities - as well as differences - between the US and other democracies. American exceptionalism is addressed and its most common definition, of the US as superior, is challenged, pointing out that exceptional only means different. Break-out boxes, attractively displayed empirical examples providing easily accessible data, and end-of-chapter study questions and terms help to reinforce concepts and provide learning aids for students.
American Politics From a Comparative Perspective
American Politics From a Comparative Perspective
You have probably all heard the phrase “of the people and for the people” when hearing about democratic government, but what does that mean? Why in the United States does “of the people and for the people” equal three branches of government and a U.S. president who generally stays in office for a full term no matter his popularity, but in the United Kingdom it can mean early elections and leaders yanked off the stage when public opinion sways against them? Does democratic government mean the individual with the most votes wins like we see in the United States, or does it signify power sharing and compromise like we see in ...
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