The textbook is written well. read more. The reader benefits from content that is organized in a fashion that is both comprehensible and predictable. 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. Has good index. Again, the book uses a standard organizational framework/structure, and it is organized appropriately for an introductory text. this revised book on our United States Government. Chapter 8 on the Media is the best chapter I've seen on that subject. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct One issue that does not receive a lot of direct attention is American political culture, including the values that underlie our democratic system, but this can be supplied complementary readings. With a publication date of 2019, this text contains updates references both the presidential elections of 2016 and the midterm elections of 2018. I sometimes worry that textbooks I use are hard for students to understand. It is pitched at an appropriate level for undergraduates in an introductory class, and is in no way patronizing as some of these books can often be. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. 1. Reviewed by Robert Asaadi, Instructor, Portland State University on 2/22/22, The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. There are minor mistakes in some of the tables and figures, too. Learn more about Adventists. Overall, I found the text to be clear and readable. And a printed version is also available for those who prefer it (including me!) I have also discovered no instances in which the presentation seems unduly slanted or biased. On the other hand, on the divisive topic of LGBT rights, the discussion is pretty even-handed, adopting what is certainly the modal vocabulary of political science regarding these complex issues. Table 17.1 on page 643 is useless. Most of the content of the different chapters focus on the mechanics of the system and on relevant examples that will be important for years to come. Those items in chapter 8 are among my favorites. This is not a pervasive problem, however but an occasional one. The text contains a variety of ideas and concepts. I am seriously considering using this text the next time I teach introduction to American Government. 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. Maybe not from top to bottom, but often enough that it is a concern. In my opinion, civic engagement is of the utmost importance to the government. For example, p. 44. and in most of the chapters. However, this is a general U.S. government overview, so there is room for an instructor to supplement with additional primary sources, such as diary excerpts, speeches, poems and other genres. But fundamentally, I often found myself searching for particular lessons, only to find the introduction to those lessons a bit dry or even meandering. The book is actually slightly longer and denser than other texts I have assigned for an introductory course in American If anything it simplifies our history as to discrimination and racism in the direction of being overly intolerant of past civil rights violations in the light of past cultural norms based on ignorance and insecurities that darken our history, and with which the present continues to deal with. The respective discussions involving each of the aforementioned groups is objective, open minded, and balanced. The graphics were very well done. However, chapters are sometimes questionably or confusingly organized, and compress wider subjects that usually receive broader treatment into footnotes or brief passages. The Constitutional Convention adopted the Constitution on September 17, 1787. The text is arranged using logical progression and builds upon itself so that it effectively connects topics, theory, and application for the reader while at the same time being structured in such a way that modules are easily and readily divisible (see modularity comments). under control. In some cases, the additional or special chapter focuses on a specific policy area such as environmental policy or housing policy. Democracy had come to mean not only rule by the majority but The is consistent in its use of terminology, and the frameworks that it provides are generally helpful and clear. The text follows the standard format for American Government texts. There was somewhat more support for election reform at the federal level. Students and the System 2. VII of the Constitution. These gaps give the impression that the text has not been properly edited to make sure that text and images are combined the best possible way. Other mainstream textbooks will generally issue an updated edition every few years to include the outcomes of new presidential elections. 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 book covers all of the basic components of American government. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. He also acts as the head of state in diplomatic relations and as Commander-in-Chief for all U.S. branches of the armed forces. And twice in the last two decades, a Republican president has lost the popular vote but won the White House. The textbook content is thorough yet very clearly written. That is the right to vote and be elected to public office. The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. The text makes the content more relevant to students by providing opportunities to analyze and interpret charts, data, and graphs to better understand current examples and the applications of the material. None that I could detect. However, I cant really think of a way to sidestep these concerns all authors must make choices. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. Additional Resources The content is accurate, straightforward, and unbiased. I am also not sure that the students will click on the hyperlinks unless they are told to specifically read them. A chapter on State and Local government is also included as a useful addition. The index is thorough and easily navigable with direct links to the relevant section of the text in which the key term is discussed. The book is clear and accessible. Again, the sections of the book include origins of the republic (in this case called "Students and the System"), individual action, collective action, formal institutions and government output. The United States is a nation founded on both an ideal and a lie. One note of concern is that the captions thereon in many instances are not fully compatible for a text reader. The chapter-to-chapter progression is logical. I am also happy it comes in a printed version. While I would like a comprehensive glossary for each chapter, the fact that each subsection within the chapter has its own glossary makes assigning small sections very easy, though I would not recommend assigning sections in place of a full chapter. Also, I believe that the material on Parties should be placed closer to the material on campaigns and elections. Reviewed by Mary Anne K. Clarke, Adjunct Faculty, Rhode Island College on 4/11/17, American Government by Glenn Krutz covers a lot of ground. To view all of the contents of this Web site, visit the Site Map. These observers agreed that the new mass politics was bound up with the culture and identity of the American republic. The text is internally consistent with respect terminology and framework. 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, An innovative inclusion is that, in addition to the standard chapter on federalism, American Government (2e) also includes a separate chapter (14) on State and Local Governments. Generally, I don't think my critique of the modularity poses a problem for the use of this text. It does not explain some additional reasons why the two-party system in the U.S. persists. The subchapters are very short, and while they sometimes deal with distinct topics, it would often be more efficient to discuss big ideas by combining them into a more cohesive and less chopped-up narrative. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. I did not identify any grammatical issues with the textbook content. The textbook does not include much The text is academic, yet accessible. Grammar is as good as one would expect from a textbook from a commercial press. Chapter activities include: Chapter Overviews, Student Web Activities, Self-Check Quizzes, ePuzzles and Games, Vocabulary eFlashcards, In-Motion Animations, and Spotlight Videos with Transcripts. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz By comparison, another online textbook on American government (which will remain nameless) had a clear bias from the very first chapter. Overall there are no major things to complain about here. A proposal to standardize election rules across states drew support from a majority of Republicans and Democrats. The textbook, American Government, has been written to be a lucid and detailed, book that more than adequately gives context to the terminology used in every chapter. The text appropriately covers the essential concepts, and their related application, for American government and politics. For example, in talking about Courts, jumping from the concept of jurisdiction (complex) to Hamilton and the Federalist, and then to the historical evolution of the Court is a bit jarring. 9. In my classes using the book, I have done quite a bit of rearranging. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. The links for figures seem to be useful in quickly navigating them. It also does a great job bringing in marginalized or minority voices. An example is found in Chapter 13, Section 4 in a visually appealing graphic on the timeline of the Supreme Court justices arriving at the Court. Although there is an internet link to the Articles in Chapter 2, I find it more useful for students to have access to the Articles within the textbook so they see they are important. I found this textbook to have excellent coverage and scope. But thats ok! This product will be available on 09/22/2015. I find first and second year college students (the levels I teach) have limited attention spans with regard dense text no matter how articulately written. This textbook is very comprehensive. Even the most "controversial" chapters - civil rights and liberties, for example - are well-handled and I can't imagine a reasonable basis for students' balking at them. 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. There are sections in the textbook that resemble a history textbook. } Of course, the question is how many students really do that? Modularity is important for me as I usually find myself teaching "out of order" with respect to the book's chapter organization. The case law is also an effective addition. /Title () Use the additional resources to explore in-depth information on important historical topics in Beyond the Textbook, discover resources for your home state, keep up on current events with Glencoe and TIME, and locate almost any place on Earth with the NGS MapMachine. Otherwise, jargon is well defined and explained with the body of the text itself in such a way that material is accessible to the intended audience. Although the order of the chapters differ from the way I may group chapters together, the book does maintain a consistent pattern based on the logic of the book it presents. I did not see anything that I would say is not accurate, as much as a couple items that need to be updated, but that is discussed below. Have used it this semester in 2 sections of my intro Am Gov class with no student complaints. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers instructors an option to discuss state & local government as well. The pure number of citations is impressive, however they are shown to the reader throughout a chapter in a separated gray box. The concise introductions at the beginning of each chapter effectively frame the chapter topic. However, this text would need to be updated after all national elections (mid-term and presidential). The chapters in the Kurtz et al e-book covers all relevant chapters of American Government and even offers chapters on Foreign policy, Domestic policy and State and Local government. American Government by Krutz and Waskiewicz is an exceptionally good textbook. There are currently no items in your shopping cart. Some of the current graphs and charts will need to be updated.The links to learning sections make it possible to quickly find current data and information. The "Middle Ground" feature might need to be updated as controversies change but overall this definitely a relevant textbook. The writing is clear and accessible to an introductory-level undergraduate reader. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. My biggest concerns lie with the unconventional ordering of the material, as well as the density of the text throughout. I clicked on many, but was not taken to that particular resource. As to presenting information in an unbiased minor, I would argue that Kurtz et. 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. Everything was clear and easy to find, including graphics, charts, and figures. The framework/layout of each chapter is consistent which is an aid to both the instructor and the reader. At that time, each state thought of itself as a country. Map: decline in Liberal Democratic Index (LDI), V-Dem Institute, 2011-2021. Students will develop an appreciation for the value of citizenship and civic participation as they learn and apply the principles and beliefs upon which the United States was founded. Though as I said before, more recent in time statistics, graphs, charts, and pictures would help, the use of the visuals organizationally as far as charts, maps, and graphs is very good. *Note: If book originally included a CD-rom or DVD they must be included or some buyback vendors will not offer the price listed here, We are committed to keeping your email address confidential. 978-0-544-74268-0, Teacher (2018): I believe ample coverage of diverse viewpoints and experiences are made use of in this text. The organization of the text is fairly traditional, with the decision to include the topic of bureaucracy under the Outputs of Government as one less conventional approach. In my view, chapters four and five are stellar and provide alternative voices to the narrative. Reviewed by Alexandre Couture Gagnon, Associate Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 10/26/20, This textbook covers the main topics of a course on American government. We don't want it changed," he said. However, it does do a nice job of considering the broader themes that characterize United States politics today. Just Ask The Rioters. Experiences and participation of African-American, Latinx, Asian, indigenous, women, and LGBT citizens fill a chapter. It is only mentioned in the chapter on civil rights. The text is extremely consistent. Electoral case studies provide for a story within a history. The text builds on the foundation in a logical and consistent manner. nited States Government, Our Democracy allows high school students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels.Students will develop an appreciation for the value of citizenship and civic participation as they learn and apply the principles and beliefs upon which the United States was founded. 2. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. The book was very culturally sensitive but more could be added throughout each chapter. The text can easily be divided into modules. The country can't even decide what to call the assault on the Capitol. The text covers the full range of standard American Government textbooks, from government and civic engagement, to civil liberties and rights to branches of government and foreign policy. The textbook was first published in 2019. Here, citizens vote for their government officials. If Direct Textbook price listed does not match the bookstores page please check to see if there is a coupon. Democracy in the United States. Many different races, backgrounds, ethnicities are presented to give the reader a well-rounded picture of how all different groups participate in the American governmental process. Synopsis. the United States, 1796American Government 2eGovernment by JudiciaryIndependence on TrialThe SenateWe the PeopleDevelopmental MathematicsGovernment in AmericaA Vindication of the Rights of Woman United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Edition Introduction to Business covers the scope and sequence of most introductory business courses . Reviewed by Nicholas Pyeatt, Associate Professor of Political Science, Penn State, Altoona on 2/1/18, The book is very comprehensive. /Producer ( Q t 5 . While the focus on diversity is certainly not as all-encompassing as some commercial books that make racial/ethnic diversity the "thesis of the book" (most notably McClain and Tauber's American Government in Black and White), the book certainly does not limit discussion of racial/ethnic diversity to the chapter on Civil Rights, as many textbooks have done historically. However, after assigning the questions, I found that the 'full online' version has the review questions INTEGRATED into the text (scattered in the chapter) AND provides ANSWERS to them. Learning Ally Address: 20 Roszel Road Princeton, NJ 08540 United States. It covers necessary topics clearly and comprehensively. $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? The text is culturally sensitive and consistently makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. 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