Democratic Values Liberty, Equality, Justice. read more. Please read our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice before you explore our Web site. I found my iPad did not always work well with it. I am considering switching to this textbook for my department. Welcome to our textbook for the year. This is a good choice as the textbook for beginning level political science courses. Nearly all of the material presented is relevant. You can replace that space with something more relevant? It covers all of the major topics an introductory text should cover and a few others as well. margin-bottom: 1rem !important;
The writers do have material distributed into sections of the text that are not always the best choice in my view (this could be said of any textbook). I think it would be harder to pull apart sections of the book independently and rearrange them. In reviewing the table of contents, I found the book has a logical flow that begins with defining what government is and then proceeds to provide information on the critical subjects of our democracy including but not limited to: The Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, voting, Congress, the presidency, our court system, and the federal bureaucracy. I have also discovered no instances in which the presentation seems unduly slanted or biased. Go Go. The endnotes are difficult to follow. The text is fairly clear but lacks some of the professional editing that I frequently see in pay-to-play textbooks. However, I believe that the chapter on Bureaucracy (Chapter 15) would be better placed after the discussion of the Presidency (Chapter 12). Although this book is culturally sensitive, I challenge the authors to do more. The Declaration of Independence and parts of the Constitution are in the Appendices. The text is easily and readily visible and permits an instructor to select what to cover based on the learning objectives of each chapter. It's very well organized. It even has a section on Civil Rights and Native Americans. Straightforward comparisons with oligarchy and monarchy. In addition to the readings at the end of the book like The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and Federalist #10 and Federalist #51, the textbook includes links to other readings and primary source documents to supplement the material. The text is extremely consistent. Overall, this book is a strong introductory text. The text then moves through its substantive topics in a coherent manner with useful transitions between topics. Particularly well written is the "Approach to Foreign Policy, p. 650, especially, the "Classic Approach" and the more recent history of U.S. foreign policy. Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. U. S. Government: Democracy In Action - McGraw Hill Education If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. It is a well-written and solid introduction to American Government. Understanding Economics. Similar to other Introduction to American Government textbooks this book covers the typical material and then some. Zip. Most importantly, the emergence of Donald Trump simply alters how the institution of the presidency communicates and respects (or doesn't respect) past institutional norms. The end-of-the-chapter resources are also quite good (better than I've seen in many books from commercial publishers). , but for next semester, the text needs to provide 2016 turnout and election data. The various appendixes include Nice level of reading; grammatically correct. But I would rather have it smaller so I For over eight decades, The United States Government Manual has been the "official handbook" of the Federal Government. In addition to what I discussed earlier, here are some other things about the book I enjoyed that did not easily fit into the previous topics provided: I very much apricate the discussion of The Articles of Confederation in Chapter 2, Section 2. Reviewed by Jack Philips, Lecturer, University of Texas at Arlington on 11/12/20, This book contains everything I need for intro American government classes. suggestions as to taking featured topics a step further. Reviewed by Andrew Thangasamy, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 8/28/20, In terms of content, the textbook has all the chapters one normally expects from an introductory American Government textbook. I do wish there was a bit more of a unified explanatory framework that was used throughout the chapters, though. the text covers many inclusive and powerful cases of civil rights from African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement to women's suffrage to Occupy Wall Street. I did not see any grammatical errors while doing so. Reviewed by Rod Hanson, Political Science Instructor, Central Oregon Community College on 5/26/19, Krutz textbook is set up exactly the same as the three different United States Government textbooks I have used in nine years of teaching at the community college level. In the book, the word Figure will appear to let the reader know to look for an image. Excellent use of sub-sections in each chapter. These officials represent the citizens' ideas and concerns in government. Technical terminology is explained in a precise and clear manner. Everything appears to be up to date, especially in the Voting and Elections chapter, with 2012 statistics and current pictures. The United States Government Manual. The Greeks are often credited with pioneering a . The authors certainly did not skimp on providing information nor did they fail to provide source material in most instances. I did not see any clear grammatical errors in my review. The content of the work is accurate and unbiased. For example, section 1.3 shows up as not converted. Title: The coverage of competing philosophies of Judicial Activism and Judicial Restraint in Chapter 13, Section 5 nicely presents these approaches to novice readers. Print Edition ISBNs: Student (2018): 978--07-668113-6 ; Teacher (2018): 978--07-668108-2 ; Contact the company representative for ISBN numbers for online/eText editions. The discussion of the Civil Liberties issues in Chapter 4 were particularly well chosen, to the point, and engaging. I am especially impressed by its multi-dimensional approach to topic coverage. I didnt notice obvious grammatical errors in this textbook. I found the language clear. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. Sometimes it is used in plural sense, but most often used in the singular sense. Everything seems consistently written and well-integrated. Within each of the chapters, there are sections which provide clear learning objectives, summaries, key terms, and opportunities for assessment with multiple-choice and short-response review questions. Useful explanation with visual of common goods & excludability; unitary, federation and confederation; contents/concepts of Constitutional amendments. democracy: key principles, institutions and problems professor david beetham 21 the judiciary in democratic governance: some insights from the indian experience ms. justice m. fathima beevi 31 some important problems and aspects of democracy in the context of the black african states professor abd-el kader boye 37 The online navigation is exceptionally good. Of course, whenever there are big changes on the Supreme Court or in the American governmental structure updates would need to be made. So concludes a recent study by Princeton University Prof Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Prof Benjamin I Page. Additionally, if I made any additions to the text, you may not have them. Also, the map on page 15 lists Russia as a representative democracy. There is a very broad selection of examples relating to variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds--the Civil Rights chapter is a good example. I found this textbook to have excellent coverage and scope. 36 Question #70. p. 176 on Civil Rights for Indigenous Groups). Great looking book and the price point would be very beneficial to students. Yes, the book is internally consistent in terms of its discussion and its presentation of information. My experience is that a significant number of my students will not read/fully comprehend a 30-40 page chapter at one pass. This is another useful function to organize student assignments around. Reviewed by John Herbert, Instructor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids, MN on 6/15/19, The material offered more than meets the appropriate standard for a textbook used in a first or second year course in American Government and Politics. I did not identify any issues with the accuracy of the textbook content. The text's clarity is excellent. read more. To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.Web . The book does include a chapter on state and local government, which is often not covered in U.S. government textbooks. Reviewed by Peter Wielhouwer, Associate Professor of Political Science, Western Michigan University on 12/14/18, This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. It is easily the equal of most other traditional textbooks on the market now. US Government for Kids: Democracy - Ducksters Reviewed by Colin Glennon, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University on 4/11/19, The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. These examples were not solely places in the civil right unit, but incorporated throughout the text; which is significant. I sometimes worry that textbooks I use are hard for students to understand. Reviewed by Vicki Jeffries-Bilton, Instructor, Portland Community College on 12/31/21, The textbook includes virtually all topics that are critical to foundational course(s) in U.S. Government. The book seemed to use inclusive examples--for example, the racial breakdown of the federal judiciary. United States Government: Our Democracy (2016) Publisher: McGraw-Hill . Although the U.S. has been a strong proponent of democracy, it did not invent democracy. While the textbook references race, ethnicity, gender, and other identities in expected chapters like Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, and even the Media, overall the textbook offers a limited approach to identity politics in the context of American politics and government. That said, those places were few and far between. The writing is clear and accessible to an introductory-level undergraduate reader. This progression is evident, for example, in the learning objectives that begin each section of the text. I use review questions in each chapter for mandatory homework. read more. This course must give freshman students the conceptual baseline tools to advance to the next grade. I didnt have any difficulty navigating the book. I believe students prefer more than black and white words. The accuracy of this text is equivalent or higher than any introductory text I am familiar with. There is a good selections of "photographs.". United States Government - Adventist Education However, the chapter lengths seem fairly typical for this type of text. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. The textbook is structured in a logical manner with chapters that have clearly defined subareas that more than adequately provide students with an understanding of American government. The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive and it makes use of examples that are inclusive more than the norm. Although overall the text is quite comprehensive, one downside is that there are only two chapters on policy (separated into Domestic and Foreign Policy). Tipping the Scales Toward National Power. This textbook is very comprehensive. The text does a good job of covering the standard content (governments, federalism, civil rights, separation of powers, media, etc.). Bill of Rights Poster: File Size: 199 kb: File Type: pdf: . The historical approaches in many chapters provide contextualization of concepts. I did not find any grammatical errors in the text. This text, American Government 2e by Krutz and Waskiewicz, covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately beginning with the origins of each political construct, through its evolution in America, and trends into the future. I hasten to add that I teach at the community college level where I often have to address certain shortcomings and misunderstandings regarding the students high school knowledge in this topic area, so perhaps this preference only applies because of my specific student audience. This is not a pervasive problem, however but an occasional one. Although I found having a chapter on Bureaucracy toward the end of the textbook unconventional, overall organization of the topics covered in the text are presented in a logical fashion. United States Government Our Democracy View larger image. The United States has a complex government system. However, I cant really think of a way to sidestep these concerns all authors must make choices. The book contained appropriate section breaks so that students can jump directly to the relevant subsection. Only problem I saw: there are 2 versions of this book in OpenStax. Excellent charts and interactive materiel. Reviews. Madison and Hamilton cite him in the Federalist Papers. I really like that a section on state and local government is included. As for bias, the author(s) definitely stayed neutral in their descriptions of the events regarding the Trump presidency and their effect on American society. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. I have used this text successfully in the classroom, and students generally respond positively to it. PDF Us Government Democracy In Action Teacher Edition I am skeptical that The text is not culturally insensitive. The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something like the Kernell book, but on balance thats a good thing). But after that there is some latitude as to which major theme comes next. Right from the start is an engaging "What is Government" and "Who governs" introductory sections, followed by excellent descriptions of our constitutional backgrounds and developments, and next the originality and purpose of our federal system of government. Not every one covers Civil Rights and Liberties or Foreign and Domestic Policy, but this text does offer a chapter on each of those. This is one of the pluses of this text. The information presented in the text book is accurate and comparable to all other books I have used on the market. Donald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. I like the fact that the authors attempt to present both sides in discussing problems and issues which contributes to an unbias pr These definitions are located at the end of the chapter, which is not entirely user-friendly but understandable given the format of the text. At the time this edition was written, the information in figure 3.17, presented data on the legality of same sex marriage by state in our country in an easily understood and precise manner. It is as accurate as any standard, mainstream textbook on American government. 1. Table 17.1 on page 643 is useless. According to Chapter 2: The Origins of American Government It looks easier to move sections around. Students can read individual sections or chapters online (in a way vaguely reminiscent of Wikipedia), they can download a free PDF of the entire book, or more traditional students can order a hard copy of the book from Amazon (at a price that's still less than half of what students might pay for a book from a commercial press). The text does not run the risk of becoming obsolete in a short period of time; however, many of the examples are quite common to other introductory American Government texts. For example in the discussion on the writers influencing the colonies toward revolution, Locke, no doubt an important writer, is presented while many others could have been highlighted. United States Government Democracy in Action Student. The book's content is accurate. read more. Technical terms are clearly explained allowing the typical college to understand unfamiliar terms/concepts. Students may struggle with somewhat dated, routine examples. Given the nature of an American politics course, I don't frequently see my colleagues, nor do I, order concepts much differently than they are ordered in this book. The fully integrated print and digital content of United States Government: Our Democracy is grounded in solid pedagogy, strong authorship, and includes a full suite of thoughtfully designed teaching and learning tools. The text is particularly impressive with its section on "Equal Protection for Other Groups" as it provides an exceptional overview of the challenges many groups have faced in the United States with thoughtful explanations of landmark Supreme Court cases and legislation impacting the struggle for civil rights. PDF Your Government and You Lesson Answer Key - USCIS That was the first online textbook that I looked at and it gave me pause when considering using one. B. There are long stretches of well written but long winded paragraphs. The textbook is error-free and unbiased. Prosper Bernard, Jr., City University of New York, Jennifer Danley-Scott, Texas Womans University, Christopher Lawrence, Middle Georgia State College, Adam Newmark, Appalachian State University, Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State University, Shawn Williams, Campbellsville University, Rhonda Wrzenski, Indiana University Southeast. Overall, this looks like a viable option for an American government 101 course. As mentioned above, I found the text slightly denser than the average textbook for an Introduction to American Government class. If faculty want to remove a section, it is not difficult for students to follow the main concepts. }
This text will only need updates in the area of the presidency, public policy, and possibly elections. Equality in voting 2. Also, each chapter sticks to an identical structure. In each unit, there is a clear progression of thought from basic description of concepts toward more critical analysis. I would consider using this textbook in my American Government 101. At that meeting the establishment of the International Union of American Republics was approved. The more niche chapters like Public Opinion could use a freshen up on the theoretical concepts. Within the chapters, there are simple navigational linksoften to external resourcesthat are helpful and not distracting. I certainly will moving forward. The text is easily and readily divisible. The writing is clear and concise. I am also happy it comes in a printed version. First, Page 39 of textbook about Locke and the social contract gives no citation. The only issue I had was that the NOTES that are interspersed through the chapters and appear to be hyperlinks do not work. Find step-by-step solutions and answers to United States Government: Our Democracy - 9780076634538, as well as thousands of textbooks so you can move forward with confidence. Additionally, there is a strong foundation of accurate historical background presented, especially in the Constitution chapter that provides the background necessary for understanding. 11.1 seems to overstate the present state of equality in Congressional elections, especially given voter suppression. And I don't. I will likely use this book to replace and supplement my graduate level course materials. This is a major issue with political science texts as the students are very focused on the present time, so the texts need to be very current. This provides the Media with an opportunity to fill this vacuum. I don't think that would be a problem here, because the chapters are for the most part logically defined and pretty self-contained. Welcome to our textbook for the year. The updates to the text with respect to the 2016 election are topical and serve to make the content more easily understand without the risk of seeming outdated in a short period of time. PDF REVIEWING THE CHAPTER CHAPTER FOCUS - Cengage Nearly every chapter has classic and current concepts to understand the evolution and development of institutions. The reader benefits from content that is organized in a fashion that is both comprehensible and predictable. The textbook is sensitive to a range of minority communities including African Americans, immigrants, the LBGQT community, gender and womens issues, and persons who practice the Muslim faith. As other agents of socialization dont seem to educate students in how essential their participation is to a healthy democratic system, any text that emphasizes and provides easy ways to engage in politics is welcome. read more. The writers also relied on tons of well-referenced outside sources that can easily be reorganized and incorporated into additional units. 5.0. Relevant archival documents and photos add to the appeal. This textbook is very clear and straightforward. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct These aren't things I ever bother with in textbooks, so I have no opinion about whether they are useful or not in this case. U.S. Government - Mr. Tredinnick's Class Site This is somewhat backwards to how I teach the course in my mind. Effective participation 3. It provides the necessary information for a student who wants to learn about the American governmental process. American Government - 3e - Open Textbook Library It also includes a chapter on state/local politics, which is a unique addition to the textbook. Building Democracy for All is an interactive, multimodal, multicultural, open access e-book for teaching and learning key topics in United States Government and Civic Life. Chapter three necessitates a revision in order to re-create its relevance. I would not consider this to be a fatal flaw by any means, but one of the advantages of a digital text is that these types of updates are easier to make. My issue is that the map doesn't show differences among those democracies (e.g., parliamentary, presidential, etc.). All of the topics you would expect to be covered in an American government 101 course are here: origins of our republic, institutions, individual action and collective action. I found no problem with navigating the text. . Changes like these are expected and I do not think that this would be too difficult to do. The book seemed reasonable "inclusive", although I suppose this is pretty subjective and I'll admit to not usually judging texts on this ground. Even though the publishing date is 2019, however, many of the charts, maps, graphs, pictures, and statistics in general are from 2015 or earlier. 35. My institution, CUNY, currently has money for instructors to print course packets for students, so it would be possible to print the chapters I want to use and then the students would have a hard copy. Gerrymandering and redistricting is continually evolving. I liked this feature very much. The textbook utilizes a wide array of references to various cultures, both in its written content and its supplementary graphics. p. 136, in which only a small fraction of the page is filled with an external link) , though if you are not strictly concerned with minimizing page count or aesthetics, this is feature rather than a bug, as it reduces the need for thing like including figures on a page with unrelated text to maximize efficient spacing.