The Fifth Edition of American Politics Today is designed to show students the reality of politics today and how it connects to their own lives. New features--from chapter opening cases that address the kinds of questions students ask, to full-page graphics that illustrate key political processes--show students how politics works and why it matters. All components of the learning package--textbook, InQuizitive adaptive learning tool, and coursepack--are organized around specific chapter learning goals to ensure that students learn the nuts and bolts of American government.

This collection examines the strategic behavior of key players in American politics from the Founding Fathers to the Super PACs, by showing that political actors, though motivated by their own interests, are governed by the Constitution, the law, and institutional rules, as well as influenced by the strategies of others.

History matters. America’s past is present in all aspects of the contemporary political system. Cal Jillson uses political development and the dynamics of change as a tool to help students understand how politics works now—and how institutions, participation, and policies have evolved over time to produce this political environment. Going one step further, Jillson helps students think critically about how American democracy might evolve further, focusing in every chapter on reform and further change. These revisions make the Seventh Edition better than ever: The latest details on all aspects of American politics, including the 2012 elections, keep students current Coverage of Obama’s full first term and heightened polarization in Congress help students see the importance of institutional development A renewed emphasis throughout on the importance of race, ethnicity, and gender in the development of American politics helps students understand the full picture of political participation. In a streamlined presentation, Jillson delivers a concise and engaging narrative to help students understand the complexities and importance of American politics. Along the way, several pedagogical features foster critical thinking and analysis: New! "Struggling towards Democracy" discussion questions to provoke both critical thinking and class discussion on the most relevant issues "The Constitution Today" chapter opening vignettes illustrate the importance of conflicting views on constitutional principles Key terms defined in the margins on the page where they appear help students study important concepts Focus questions at the beginning of every chapter highlight the central learning objectives for students to look for, and marginal notes throughout the chapter indicate the relevant discussions for addressing these questions Colorful figures and charts help students visualize important information "Let’s Compare" boxes analyze how functions of government and political participation work in other countries. "Pro & Con" boxes bring to life a central debate in each chapter, from questions over campaign finance, bias in the media, and the balance between the president and Congress in war making, to judicial activism and restraint, gay marriage, and equitable taxes. Timelines in every chapter gives students an at-a-glance reference to important stages in historical development. End-of-chapter summaries, suggested readings, and web resources help students master the material and guide them to further critical investigation of important concepts and topics.

Black & white print. American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens. In order to help students understand the ways that government, society, and individuals interconnect, the revision includes more examples and details regarding the lived experiences of diverse groups and communities within the United States. The authors and reviewers sought to strike a balance between confronting the negative and harmful elements of American government, history, and current events, while demonstrating progress in overcoming them. In doing so, the approach seeks to provide instructors with ample opportunities to open discussions, extend and update concepts, and drive deeper engagement.

Turning his distinctive analytical lens to the politics of American education, Joel Spring looks at contemporary educational policy issues from theoretical, practical, and historical perspectives. This comprehensive overview documents and explains who influences educational policy and how, bringing to life the realities of schooling in the 21st century and revealing the ongoing ideological struggles at play. Coverage includes the influence of global organizations on American school policies and the impact of emerging open source and other forms of electronic textbooks. Thought-provoking, lucid, original in its conceptual framework and rich with engaging examples from the real world, this text is timely and useful for understanding the big picture and the micro-level intricacies of the multiple forces at work in controlling U.S. public schools . It is the text of choice for any course that covers or addresses the politics of American education. Companion Website: The interactive Companion Website accompanying this text includes relevant data, public domain documents, YouTube links, and links to websites representing political organizations and interest groups involved in education.

Drawing together leading scholars, the book provides a revealing new map of the US political economy in cross-national perspective.