Clear, concise and straightforward, CALIFORNIA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 14th Edition, is the most up-to-date and readable text on this subject. Students gain an understanding of how government and politics work, as well as how they affect their world. The book provides insight into real-life politics as it illustrates the complex forces at work in state government, and current examples enable students to comprehend the ins and outs of California politics. Coverage includes the 2016 elections as well as updates on judicial appointments, the impact of revised term limits for legislators, the state of California's budget, crime and prisons, water and immigration policy, and more. The impact of politics on public policy is integrated throughout the text, helping students see the impact of government and legislation. This text is ideally suited as a companion for an American government class, as well as a foundation for a course on state government. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Taking a unique nuts-and-bolts approach, the concise CALIFORNIA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 11E, gives students insight into real-life politics as it vividly illustrates the complex principles at work in state government. Current examples -- including analysis of the 2010 gubernatorial race -- and clear explanations give students a solid understanding of the ins and outs of the California government. Thoroughly updated, the new edition addresses many complex economic, social, education, and immigration issues and their impact on state politics. The eleventh edition includes new court cases, updates on the ongoing budget crisis, coverage of the 2010 elections, changes in government regulations, and more. In addition, public policy coverage is thoroughly integrated throughout the text, helping students make connections and see firsthand the impact and practical applications of government and legislation on their own lives. Clear, concise, and straightforward, CALIFORNIA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 11E, equips students with a solid understanding of how government and politics really work as well as how they affect the students’ world, now and in the future. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

"California Crackup is brilliant. It cuts through the familiar tangle of diagnoses and quick-fix solutions to provide a comprehensive and persuasive analysis of California's dysfunctional governmental system. Paul and Mathews have coolly laid out a complicated story, made it readable, sometimes even comedic. It is the best discussion of the issue I've seen in over three decades."--Peter Schrag, author of California: America's High-Stakes Experiment "I know of no other work that combines so succinctly and enjoyably a historical summary of California's existing problems with such a sweeping and provocative program of reform."--Ethan Rarick, University of California, Berkeley "Mark Paul and Joe Mathews have produced an indispensable guide to California's crisis of governance--and they have done so with humor, scholarship, fairness and storytelling verve. Every Californian should read this book."--Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars "Mark Paul... has a talent for presenting California Big Think stuff in an easily accessible and always readable way...[offering] clear and creative insights on the subject of California's collapse."--CalBuzz "Joe Mathews has done an artful, fascinating, and convincing job of connecting the California of today's Schwarzenegger era to the long history that made his rise possible.--James Fallows,The Atlantic Monthly on Mathews' book, The People's Machine

Clear, concise and engaging, Gerston/Christensen/Currin-Percival/Percival's CALIFORNIA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 15th edition, draws from current headlines to help you understand the complex role of state government and politics and their impact on your everyday life -- now and in the future. Up-to-date coverage includes the 2020 elections, how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the state's fiscal condition from a significant budget surplus to a massive deficit, economic inequality, the flow of people to and from California, judicial appointments, criminal justice reform, water and immigration policy, same-party competition under the "top two" primary and statewide ballot measures. In addition, "Get Involved" features offer suggestions for hands-on political experience, while "Learn More on the Web" features provide resources for more in-depth research on key topics.

Political theorist Michael Walzer's classic guide is a perfect introduction to social activism, including what-to-do advice for deciding which issues to take on, organizing, fundraising, and providing effective leadership Political Action is a how-to book for activists that was written at one of the darkest moments of the Nixon administration and remains no less timely and intelligent and useful today. Michael Walzer draws on his extensive engagement in the civil rights and antiwar movements of the 1960s to lay out the practical steps necessary to keep movement politics alive both in victory and in defeat. What do people need to do when out of outrage or fear of looming disaster they come together to demand change? Should they focus on one or several issues? Should they form coalitions? What can and can’t be accomplished through electoral politics? How can movements operate democratically? What is effective leadership? Walzer addresses such questions with clarity, concision, wisdom, and wit in a book that everywhere insists not only on the centrality of movement politics to the health of democratic societies but on the deep satisfaction that is to be found there. Political Action is both an indispensable resource for activists and a lasting and inspiring summons to arms.

"This book provides a wise and engaging how-to guide that meets the central challenge of policy analysis: combining scientific evidence and social goals to craft practical, real-world solutions." —Thomas S. Dee, Barnett Family Professor of Education, Stanford University Drawing on more than 40 years of experience with policy analysis, best-selling authors Eugene Bardach and Eric M. Patashnik use real-world examples to teach students how to be effective, accurate, and persuasive policy analysts. The Sixth Edition of A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis presents dozens of concrete tips, new case studies, and step-by-step strategies for the budding analyst as well as the seasoned professional.