Selected Books
America's Congress:Actions in the Public Sphere, James Madison Through Newt Gingrich. by
In this work, political scientist David R. Mayhew examines actions performed by members of Congress throughout American history. He assesses their patterns and importance and their role in the American system of separation of powers.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 9780300080490Publication Date: 2017
The American Political Party System by
What historical factors transformed American politics into the institution we know today? This in-depth look at America's party system traces its efficacy, sustainability, and popularity through six influential presidencies spanning 1790 to the present day. Did President Obama's election serve as the impetus to the development of a seventh political party system? This compelling text sheds light on the American political process as seen through the lens of six pivotal presidencies that shaped America's culture, politics, and society and considers how our current president may be the latest transformative leader in this lineage. Covering two centuries of politics, the work offers insight into the American political machine and reveals how and why the two-party system became so dominant in American politics. Topics include the media's focus on the horse-race aspect of elections, the declining importance of party identification, and the impact of the geographical split that results in swing-states and gerrymandered districts. The work begins by dividing 200 years of politics into 6 periods influenced by a transformative president and discussing the profile of the party system in each era. The next section presents essays contributed by activists across a myriad of political parties and profiles leading political actors and organizations. The final section includes tables, primary source documents, reference lists, a detailed glossary, and a timeline of the development of American political parties that help elucidate the text and show the role political parties have played throughout history. Theorizes how the presidencies of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, McKinley, FDR, and Ronald Reagan marked the beginning of a new political party system at the time and considers how Obama's election might signal the latest transformation Contains essays that explain how political beliefs affect party identification, examine each party's platform on national security issues, and identify the effects the Trump campaign has on the Republican Party Features 15 primary documents including excerpts from the Federalist Papers and relevant sections of the U.S. Constitution Includes maps, bar and line graphs, and pie charts to illustrate key elements of the party system
Call Number: Swirbul Library Reference JK2261 .L45 2017ISBN: 1440854114Publication Date: 2017-06-22
The Campaign Manager: Running and Winning Local Elections by
Successful campaign manager and three-time mayor of Ashland, Oregon, Catherine Shaw presents a clear and concise, must-have handbook for navigating local campaigns. The Campaign Manager gives political novices and veterans alike a comprehensive and detailed plan for organizing, funding, publicizing, and winning local political campaigns. Finding the right message and targeting the right voters are clearly explained through specific examples, anecdotes, and illustrations. Shaw also provides in-depth information on assembling campaign teams, precinct analysis, canvassing, and dealing with the media. Significant features of the fifth edition include an entirely new chapter on social media and its influence on campaigning, new coverage on how to put together a campaign plan, and a new appendix on how to campaign on a budget.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0429963092Publication Date: 2018-03-09
Choosing the Leader by
The first comprehensive study in more than forty years to explain congressional leadership selection How are congressional party leaders chosen? In the first comprehensive study since Robert Peabody's classic Leadership in Congress, political scientists Matthew Green and Douglas Harris draw on newly collected data about U.S. House members who have sought leadership positions from the 1960s to the present--data including whip tallies, public and private vote commitments, interviews, and media accounts--to provide new insights into how the selection process truly works. Elections for congressional party leaders are conventionally seen as a function of either legislators' ideological preferences or factors too idiosyncratic to permit systematic analysis. Analyzing six decades' worth of information, Harris and Green find evidence for a new comprehensive model of vote choice in House leadership elections that incorporates both legislators' goals and their connections with leadership candidates. This study will stand for years to come as the definitive treatment of a crucial aspect of American politics.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0300222572Publication Date: 2019-01-22
A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments by
Now in its sixth edition with coverage of major Supreme Court decisions through the end of the 2013-2014 term, this book remains a key source for students, professors, and citizens seeking balanced, up-to-date information on the Constitution, its amendments, and how they have been interpreted. A document that is well past two centuries old, the U.S. Constitution remains as relevant and important today as during the time of our country's founding. Now in its sixth edition, this single-volume work offers a fair, non-partisan treatment of one of the most important documents in American history. The book begins with introductory background information on the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and then presents a clause-by-clause explanation of the Constitution from the preamble through all of its amendments, addressing how each has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court and other institutions throughout U.S. history. This fully updated edition of A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments incorporates numerous new developments in the four years since the previous edition, including the appointments of new Supreme Court justices, impactful cases involving First Amendment rights for students, the Affordable Care Act, National Security Agency (NSA) data gathering, voting rights, campaign finance law, DNA sampling, and the ongoing battle over gay rights. As with the previous editions, John R. Vile provides a balanced and thorough treatment that identifies key Supreme Court decisions and other interpretations of the document while abstaining from unnecessarily complex and confusing explanations. Provides an accessible and informative introduction to the creation, meaning, and continuing role of the Constitution that is suited for high school students, undergraduate audiences, law students and researchers, reference librarians, and interested citizens who want to understand the Constitution and its amendments Presents balanced treatments of all key constitutional provisions and up-to-date information on how key U.S. Supreme Court decisions have interpreted the Constitution Includes a glossary, highlights of constitutional history, and a fully updated appendix of the names and dates of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Includes copies of the U.S. Constitution and Its Amendments, the Declaration of Independence, and the Articles of Confederation
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1440833273Publication Date: 2015-03-03
Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President: What We Don't, Can't, and Do Know by
The question of how Donald Trump won the 2016 election looms over all of the many controversies that continue to swirl around him to this day. In particular, was his victory the result of Russian meddling in our political system? Up until now, the answer to that has been equivocal at bestgiven how difficult it is to prove. Trump has vociferously denied it, as has Vladimir Putin himself. Even the famous intelligence reports establishing that the Russians interfered hold back from saying whether the interference tipped the scales in the outcome.In Cyberwar, however, the eminent scholar Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who sifted through a vast amount of polling and voting data, is able to conclude with a reasonable degree of certainty that Russian help was crucial in elevating Trump to the Oval Office. Put simply, by changing the behavior of keyplayers and altering the focus and content of mainstream news, Russian hackers reshaped the 2016 electoral dynamic. At the same time, Russian trolls used social media to target voting groups indispensable to a Trump victory or Clinton defeat. There are of course many arguments on offer that pushagainst the idea that the Russians handed Trump his victory. Russia's goal was fomenting division, not electing Trump. Most of the Russian ads reportedly did not reference either the election or a candidate. Nor did they differ much from U.S.-based messaging that was already in play. Russianintervention did not surgically target Trump in key states. Finally, if WikiLeaks' releases of stolen email had truly affected the vote, Clinton's perceived honesty would have dropped in October. Jamieson, drawing from her four decades of research on the role of media in American elections,dispenses with these arguments through a forensic tracing of both Russian hackers' impact on media coverage as well as the ebbs and flows of Trump's polling support over the course of the campaign. To be sure, it is impossible to prove with absolute certainty that the Russians handed the election toTrump because there is too much that we don't know. That said, the lessons of a half century of research on the role of media framing in elections strongly suggests that many voters' opinions were altered by Russia's wide-ranging and coordinated campaign-including at least seventy eight thousandvotes in three key states. Combining scholarly rigor with a bracing argument, Cyberwar shows that we can now be reasonably confident that Russian efforts helped put Trump in the White House.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0190915811Publication Date: 2018-10-03
Dictionary of American Government and Politics by Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0748635017Publication Date: 2010-01-31
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-country Perspective by Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 9780300198089Publication Date: 2014-10-28
The Encyclopedia of Political Science by
A 21st century approach to the study of politics Political science needs a resource that serves as a core reference to the central ideas, concepts, and frameworks underlying the study of politics and that highlights the intersections of politics with other disciplines. The Encyclopedia of Political Science (TEPS) is designed to fill that need. It is the encyclopedia for political science in the twenty-first century. Prepared with the assistance of the American Political Science Association (APSA), TEPS brings together a distinguished editorial board and over 600 distinguished and rising scholars to chronicle and assess the core issues that have long concerned students of politics. This comprehensive, multi-volume work traces the evolution of political theories, concepts, research frameworks, and political practices from across the world. As it examines the interplay of political ideas and processes, the encyclopedia also conveys the vitality and excitement of politics in practice. Cognizant of the global nature of political ideas and movements, TEPS reflects a wide range of concepts and frameworks, both Western and non-Western, national and international. An authoritative survey of the state of politics and political science, this five- volume work consists of more than 1,500 A to Z signed entries by contributors from over 30 countries, including 300 overview articles or interpretive essays. The encyclopedia supports all of the core undergraduate courses in political science: American government, comparative politics, international relations, public policy, public administration, political behavior, political theory, and political science methods. It will be an essential reference for all academic and public libraries. Quick Facts Thematic Table of Contents that maps major subfields and topics in politics Over 1,500 A to Z entries Contributing essays from scholars across the globe Prepared with the assistance of the American Political Science Association
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1933116447Publication Date: 2010-10-12
The Framers' Coup : The Making of the United States Constitution by Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0199942048Publication Date: 2014
Guide to U. S. Elections by
Guide to U.S. Elections 6th edition NOW AVAILABLE!For basic information on the electoral process, in-depth analysis on specific political eras and issues, and everything in between, Guide to U.S. Elections has no competition.This renowned reference includes thorough historical coverage of every major aspect of federal and gubernatorial elections in the United States. Infused with new data, analysis, and discussion of issuesrelating to elections from 2006 to 2008, the sixth edition ofthe Guide is as up to date as it is comprehensive. Topics fromthe 2008 elections include: Analysis of the campaigns for presidency, from the primaries through the general electionData on the candidates, winners/losers, and election returnsDetails on congressional and gubernatorial contests supplemented with vast historical data
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1604265361Publication Date: 2009-10-20
Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Constitution by
The Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Constitution covers the Founding of the American Republic and the Framers, the drafting of the Constitution, constitutional debates over ratification, and traces key events, Supreme Court chief justices, amendments, and Supreme Court cases regarding the interpretation of the Constitution from 1789-2016. The Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Constitution contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on key figures in the Founding, Supreme Court chief justices, explanations of the Articles and Amendments to the Constitution, and key Supreme Court cases. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the U.S. Constitution.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1442271876Publication Date: 2016-08-01
The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups by Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0199542627Publication Date: 2010-04-05
The Oxford Handbook of the American Congress by Call Number: JK1041 .O94 2013ISBN: 9780199650521Publication Date: 2013-05-08
Parties in Court by
Robert C. Wigton s The Parties in Court: American Political Parties under the Constitution provides a comprehensive overview of the legal status of American political parties through an analysis of the many court opinion, both state and federal, in American history that have dealt with parties. The work concludes with suggestions for resolving the persistent problem of placing American political parties within our democratic system of government."
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1306259177Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement by
We think we know the story of women's suffrage in the United States: women met at Seneca Falls, marched in Washington, D.C., and demanded the vote until they won it with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. But the fight for women's voting rights extended far beyond these familiar scenes. From social clubs in New York's Chinatown to conferences for Native American rights, and in African American newspapers and pamphlets demanding equality for Spanish-speaking New Mexicans, a diverse cadre of extraordinary women struggled to build a movement that would truly include all women, regardless of race or national origin. In Recasting the Vote, Cathleen D. Cahill tells the powerful stories of a multiracial group of activists who propelled the national suffrage movement toward a more inclusive vision of equal rights. Cahill reveals a new cast of heroines largely ignored in earlier suffrage histories: Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa), Laura Cornelius Kellogg, Carrie Williams Clifford, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Adelina "Nina" Luna Otero-Warren. With these feminists of color in the foreground, Cahill recasts the suffrage movement as an unfinished struggle that extended beyond the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. As we celebrate the centennial of a great triumph for the women's movement, Cahill's powerful history reminds us of the work that remains.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1469659328Publication Date: 2020-11-16
The U. S. Election System by Call Number: JK1976 .U217 2004ISBN: 0824210360Publication Date: 2004-08-01
Voter Fraud by
During the 2016 Presidential election, there were repeated allegations made about voter fraud, by the winning candidate. Semi-annual studies by the Brennan Center for Justice of NYU conclusively demonstrate however, that most allegations of fraud turn out to be baseless. Issues relating to false numbers are more often the result of mistakes made by voters and election officials than intentional foul play. Nevertheless, voter fraud can occur. This edition examines issues related to election processes and the problem of fraud. It includes primary and secondary sources from a variety of perspectives; eyewitnesses, scientific journals, government officials, and many others.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 0737776641Publication Date: 2016-04-26
Voting Rights in America: Primary Documents in Context by
Voting is often described as the central pillar of American democracy. Yet at various points in the history of the United States, the franchise was kept away from people without landholdings, women, black people, and young members of the armed forces who were nonetheless deemed old enough to risk their lives in the defense of their nation. Even today, many observers contend that the right to vote is being eroded by a pernicious combination of political and social factors. This work uses primary sources, in concert with broad, context-setting historical overviews and an illuminating introduction to each document, to examine the full scope and importance of the struggle for voting rights in America. Coverage ranges from major historical landmarks such as women's suffrage, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the heavily contested Bush-Gore presidential election of 2000 to documents that examine current controversies about alleged voter suppression, claims of voter fraud, Russian interference in American elections, and the impact of Supreme Court decisions past and present on the constitutional right to vote.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1440871558Publication Date: 2019-12-02
The Voting Rights War: The NAACP and the Ongoing Struggle for Justice by
The Voting Rights War tells the story of the courageous struggle to achieve voting equality through more than one hundred years of work by the NAACP at the Supreme Court. Readers take the journey for voting rights from slavery to the Plessy v. Ferguson case that legalized segregation in 1896 through today's conflicts around voter suppression. The NAACP brought important cases to the Supreme Court that challenged obstacles to voting: grandfather clauses, all-White primaries, literacy tests, gerrymandering, vote dilution, felony disenfranchisement, and photo identification laws. This book highlights the challenges facing American voters, especially African Americans, the brave work of NAACP members, and the often contentious relationship between the NAACP and the Supreme Court. This book shows the human price paid for the right to vote and the intellectual stamina needed for each legal battle. The Voting Rights War follows conflicts on the ground and in the courtroom, from post-slavery voting rights and the formation of the NAACP to its ongoing work to gain a basic right guaranteed to every citizen. Whether through litigation, lobbying, or protest, the NAACP continues to play an unprecedented role in the battle for voting equality in America, fighting against prison gerrymandering, racial redistricting, the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, and more. The Voting Rights War highlights the NAACP's powerful contribution and legacy.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1442266899Publication Date: 2016-08-22
Who Will Be the Next President? by
This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book addresses the peculiarities of the current presidential election system not yet addressed in other publications. It argues that any rules for electing a President that may have a chance to replace the current ones should provide an equal representation of states as equal members of the Union, and of the nation as a whole. This book analyzes the National Popular Vote plan and shows that this plan may violate the Supreme Court decisions on the equality of votes cast in statewide popular elections held to choose state electors. That is, the National Popular Vote plan may violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The book proposes a new election system in which the will of the states and the will of the nation as a whole are determined by direct popular elections for President and Vice President in the 50 states and in D.C. This system a) would elect President a candidate who is the choice of both the nation as a whole and of the states as equal members of the Union, b) would let the current system elect a President only if the nation as a whole and the states as equal members of the Union fail to agree on a common candidate, and c) would encourage the candidates to campaign nationwide. The second edition has been updated to include a proposal on how to make established non-major party presidential candidates and independent candidates welcome participants in national televised presidential debates with the major-party candidates.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 3319446959Publication Date: 2016-11-24
Why American Elections Are Flawed (and How to Fix Them) by
The flaws in the American electoral process have become increasingly apparent in recent years. The contemporary tipping point in public awareness occurred during the 2000 election count, and concern deepened due to several major problems observed in the 2016 campaign, worsening party polarization, and corroding public trust in the legitimacy of the outcome.To gather evidence about the quality of elections around the world, in 2012 the Electoral Integrity Project (EIP) was established as an independent research project based at Harvard and Sydney universities. The results show that experts rated American elections as the worst among all Western democracies. Without reform, these problems risk damaging the legitimacy of American elections--further weakening public confidence in political parties, Congress, and the U.S. government, depressing voter turnout, and exacerbating the risks of mass protests.Why American Elections Are Flawed describes several major challenges observed during the 2016 U.S. elections arising from deepening party polarization over basic voting procedures, the serious risks of hacking and weak cyber-security, the consequences of deregulating campaign spending, and lack of professional and impartial electoral management. Pippa Norris outlines the core concept and measure of electoral integrity, the key yardstick used to evaluate free and fair elections. Evidence from expert and mass surveys demonstrate the extent of problems in American elections. She shows how these challenges could be addressed through several practical steps designed to improve electoral procedures and practices. If implemented, the reforms will advance free and fair elections, and liberal democracy, at home and abroad.
Call Number: Available OnlineISBN: 1501712756Publication Date: 2017-04-04
