Gary Wasserman has shaped a career in teaching, public service, political consulting, and writing. He recently wrote The Doha Experiment about his eight years as a Professor of Government at Georgetown University in Qatar. He now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Elliott Fullmer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He is the author of two recent books, Tuesday´s Gone: America´s Early Voting Revolution and Everyone´s Democracy. His research on elections and voting behavior has also appeared in Presidential Studies Quarterly, American Politics Research, Election Law Journal, and other outlets.
- The only long-established American government text under 350 pages, Basics provides a brief, current, easily-understood introduction to American politics and government for beginning college and community college students.
- With simple, focused chapters of under 30 pages on the key political players, teachers gain confidence that their assignments using this accessible, inexpensive, long-time student favorite will be bought and read.
- A comprehensive yet compact set of features—including "Spotlight On,” "A Closer Look,” and "Case Study” boxes; chapter wrap-ups, Thought Questions, Learn the Terms glossary entries, and Suggested Readings—keep students engaged and offer professors easy "launching pads” into timely topics beyond the basic text.
New to the 17th Edition
- Discusses student activism in the context of climate change.
- Covers the personalities and actions of the new Biden administration, as well as wrapping up President Trump´s tumultuous final year in office (two impeachments, COVID, the Capitol Insurrection).
- Updated to reflect the results of the 2022 midterm elections, and the impact of reapportionment and gerrymandering (based on the 2020 Census).
- Presents recent and ongoing developments on the Supreme Court including appointment of two new justices and major decisions including those pertaining to abortion, voting rights and access, and LGBT rights.
- Reflects changes in voting behavior in the 2020 and 2022 elections, as well as developments regarding both voting rights and voter suppression.
- Explores the ongoing crisis of misinformation and disinformation on the Internet and in social media in particular.
- Expands the discussion of tribal politics, threats to democracy, and economics.
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Lively and straightforward, The Basics of American Politics offers a concise and accessible introduction to the nuts and bolts of the American system of government. Throughout this brief, student-friendly text, authors Gary Wasserman and Elliott Fullmer employ a dynamic game metaphor to engage students in the basics of American government and the contact sport of politics. For introductory students of American government, this affordable text is especially ideal for advanced placement courses, community colleges, and international programs in American Studies.
New to the 17th Edition
- Covers the personalities and actions of the new Biden administration, as well as wrapping up President Trump´s tumultuous final year in office (two impeachments, COVID, the Capitol riot)
- Updated to reflect the results of the 2022 midterm elections, and the impact of reapportionment and gerrymandering (based on the 2020 Census)
- Presents recent developments on the Supreme Court including appointment of two new justices and major decisions including those on abortion, voting rights, and LGBT rights
- Reflects changes in voting behavior in the 2020 and 2022 elections, as well as fights over voter suppression
- Explores the ongoing crisis of misinformation and disinformation
- Expands the discussion of tribal politics and threats to democracy
- Discusses student activism
1. What Is Politics? 2. The Constitution: Rules of the Game 3. The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Bureaucracy 4. The Legislative Branch: Congress 5. The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court and the Federal Court System 6. Civil Rights and Liberties: Protecting the Players 7. Voters and Political Parties 8. Interest Groups and the Media 9. Who Wins? Who Loses? Pluralism vs. Elitism vs. Tribalism
This brief, student-friendly text offers a concise and accessible introduction to the nuts and bolts of the American system of government. For introductory students of American government, this brief and affordable text is especially ideal for advanced placement courses, community colleges, and international programs in American Studies.
Praise for The Basics of American Politics, 17th edition
Wasserman and Fullmer have updated a classic American politics introductory textbook and made it as relevant as today's headlines. It introduces key concepts, and just as importantly, it asks students to use these concepts to consider the important issues involved in promoting and defending constitutional democratic governance. Its writing is crisp, its pedagogy helpful, and its coverage authoritative. For almost half a century this book has set the standard for accessible introductory texts, and this edition raises the bar.
Richard M. Pious, Barnard College and Columbia University
This brief and affordable text not only gives students the essential information they need to understand American politics, but also makes politics come alive with case studies on marijuana and federalism, race and the courts, and gun control and Congress.
Clyde Wilcox, Georgetown University
Über den Autor
Gary Wasserman has shaped a career in teaching, public service, political consulting, and writing. He recently wrote The Doha Experiment about his eight years as a Professor of Government at Georgetown University in Qatar. He now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Elliott Fullmer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He is the author of two recent books, Tuesday's Gone: America's Early Voting Revolution and Everyone's Democracy. His research on elections and voting behavior has also appeared in Presidential Studies Quarterly, American Politics Research, Election Law Journal, and other outlets.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
1. What Is Politics? 2. The Constitution: Rules of the Game 3. The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Bureaucracy 4. The Legislative Branch: Congress 5. The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court and the Federal Court System 6. Civil Rights and Liberties: Protecting the Players 7. Voters and Political Parties 8. Interest Groups and the Media 9. Who Wins? Who Loses? Pluralism vs. Elitism vs. Tribalism
