From unsubstantiated 2020 election fraud claims and the storming of the US Capitol to the rampage of COVID-19 and racial injustice, this book covers the foundations, institutions, and processes of "the great American experiment" with a clear and resonant theme: Democracy cannot be taken for granted, whether at home or internationally, and eternal vigilance (along with civic intelligence) is required to protect it. Approaching Democracy provides students with a framework to analyze the structure, process, and action of US government, institutions, and social movements. It also invites comparison with other countries. This globalizing perspective gives students an understanding of issues of governance and challenges to democracy here and elsewhere. At a moment of growing domestic terrorism, political hyper-partisanship, populism, identity politics, and governmental dysfunction, there is no better time to bring Approaching Democracy--a textbook based on Vaclav Havel’s powerful metaphor of democracy as an ideal and the American experiment as the closest approach to it--to a new generation of political science undergraduate students. NEW TO THE NINTH EDITION Two new authors, Nadia E. Brown and Sarah Allen Gershon, who bring refreshing intellectual and diverse perspectives to the text. Includes the tumultuous political context surrounding the Trump presidency, the 2020 elections, the 116th Congress, the Supreme Court, the COVID-19 crisis, and the fight for social and racial justice. Figures and tables reflect the latest available data and surveys. Two new features--Diversity and Democracy, highlighting the experiences of America’s diverse social groups and the role of identity politics—and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter, assessing critical thinking skills. Critical contemporary events are explored throughout the book, including the attempted coup following the 2020 elections, the Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter, protests in American cities that come to the epicenter of America’s approach to democracy, the changes in the Supreme Court and the federal court system, the growth of LGBTQ+ legal rights, and the alteration in American Federalism. New and updated data on public attitudes toward police brutality, DACA, voter suppression, healthcare, and the global climate movement are also covered.

Larry Berman and Bruce Allen Murphy are long-time teachers of the Introductory American Political Science course in both large and small public and private universities. Their goal was to write a book that offers a clear and relevant theme in an easily readable format. Both authors enjoy teaching students new methods to empower them to participate in political discourse.

Democracy cannot be taken for granted, whether at home or internationally, and eternal vigilance (along with civic intelligence) is required to protect it. Approaching Democracy provides students with a framework to analyze the structure, process, and action of US government, institutions, and social movements. It also invites comparison with other countries. This globalizing perspective gives students an understanding of issues of governance and challenges to democracy here and elsewhere. At a moment of political hyper-partisanship, economic tensions, media misinformation, hyper-partisanship, and anxieties about the future of civil rights, this is the ideal time to introduce Approaching Democracy--a textbook based on Vaclav Havel’s powerful metaphor of democracy as an ideal and the American experiment as the closest approach to it--to a new generation of political science undergraduate students. NEW TO THE TENTH EDITION Updated to reflect the results of the 2022 midterm elections and explore the implications of Congressional redistricting, voting suppression, and voting rights legislation Covers the first two years of the Biden administration and provides a thorough retrospective on the Trump presidency—including updates on the January 6 Commission findings and the Justice department’s investigation into Trump’s alleged misappropriation of classified government documents Presents the developments on the Supreme Court including the appointment of its two newest justices and major recent decisions including controversial rulings on reproductive health, the separation of church and state, and the environment Explores the revival of NATO and other international alliances in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine New and updated material has also been provided regarding gun control, healthcare, labor rights, immigration, economic policy, COVID-19’s lingering impacts, and the ongoing struggle for social and racial justice in America

This Books � la Carte Edition is an unbound, three-hole punched, loose-leaf version of the textbook and provides students the opportunity to personalize their book by incorporating their own notes and taking only the portion of the book they need to class - all at a fraction of the bound book price. Updated in its 8th edition, Approaching Democracy addresses the evolving nature of the American experiment in democratic government. It teaches readers the theory and basics of American political science and the nation's political history. It provides the critical thinking skills needed to analyze these evolving relationships. Larry Berman and Bruce Allen Murphy are long-time teachers of the Introductory American Political Science course in both large and small public and private universities. Their goal was to write a book that offers a clear and relevant theme in an easily readable format.

0-13-144388-7, 4438U-6, Larry Berman, Approaching Democracy: Portfolio Edition, 1E //--> This concise paperback introduces the basics of American government, structured around democracy as an ideal toward which we continually strive. Thematically organized, it prepares readers to review events in the context of this goal. This book prepares readers to be good citizens, armed with the information they will need to follow politics and make educated choices about leaders, policies, and actions. Cases and real-world examples reflect current trends and events such as: Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security Council, the War on Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Bill, Anthrax and the US Postal Service, Dick Cheney as the new VP, Census 2000, the Enron scandal, Military tribunals, Senator Jeffords party switch, the Supreme Court and the 2000 Presidential Election, 2002 Congressional elections, governments in the Islamic world, and much more. Topics also address the multiple processes of formulating, implementing, and evaluating public policy and the democratic ideal. For anyone wanting to arm themselves with the information needed to make educated political decisions and choices.

This concise paperback introduces the basics of American government, structured around democracy as an ideal toward which we continually strive. Thematically organized, it prepares readers to review events in the context of this goal. This book prepares readers to be good citizens, armed with the information they will need to follow politics and make educated choices about leaders, policies, and actions. Cases and real-world examples reflect current trends and events such as: Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security Council, the War on Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Bill, Anthrax and the US Postal Service, Dick Cheney as the new VP, Census 2000, the Enron scandal, Military tribunals, Senator Jeffords party switch, the Supreme Court and the 2000 Presidential Election, 2002 Congressional elections, governments in the Islamic world, and much more. Topics also address the multiple processes of formulating, implementing, and evaluating public policy and the democratic ideal. For anyone wanting to arm themselves with the information needed to make educated political decisions and choices.

A collection of articles on the theory and practice of deliberative democracy edited by Robert Cavalier.