It avoids jargon and does a very good job clearly defining terms. 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I like how there are separate chapters for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. read more. First, on page 15, in Figure 1.6, is a map illustrating different forms of government throughout the world. 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). United States Government: Our Democracy 2016, LearnSmart Social Studies Overview Flyer. It is well-written and proof-read. Uses current issues as examples of concepts. The chapter on State and Local Government was a nice addition, but I am not sure how many instructors would be able to cover this material in addition to the other material required in an Introduction to American Government course. The interface is very easy to use, with no navigation problems or distracting features. Our students love videos---was it a conscious decision not to include video links? The United States is an indirect democracy or a republic. 11.1 seems to overstate the present state of equality in Congressional elections, especially given voter suppression. The foundational building blocks of the republic that are provided are similar to the last two textbooks I used (We the People & By the People) and for that matter correspond to the textbook I myself used over thirty years ago in my Intro course which I still refer to in the classroom. I have not found culturally insensitive comments. This is the easiest area for remarks for this review. This is disappointing but not fatal as I can update in class using the overhead. 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. There are some chapters I would probably not use (the policy chapters) and I would prefer the chapters in a different order (institutions before 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. This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. Within each unit, the chapters are structured to provide connections between topics that build upon the prior chapter's learning objectives . I did not see any issues in terms uneven discussions or those filled with mistakes. Other similar books dive too deeply for my purposes into the minutiae of government without providing concepts or making those concepts too academic sounding. Key terms are also defined at the end of each chapter. In recent years rather than being an efficient mechanism for collective decision-making and progress, democracy seems to be fueling discord, division, and distrust of the other side. The definitions in the glossary are precise. margin-bottom: 1rem !important; From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are addressed. PDF Basics of American Government - University of North Georgia I found the textbook culturally sensitive and in no way offensive. History, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Politics and Government Grade Levels: College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior, Undergraduate Student Submitted By: Daproim Africa Proofread By: Daproim Africa Usage Restrictions: This is a copyrighted book. Some of the pages could use a little more color to add some pop. Coverage same as most standard Am Gov textbooks, with chapters organized same as most (expensive) standard texts and each chapter about as long as standard texts. The headings and subheadings are appealing and provide the students with direction about what is coming next. This means that our government is elected by citizens. So do be sure, if adopting this text, to carefully preview the chapters for any issues like this. 13-23) A. Finally, I thought that the chapters (4 & 5) in Civil Liberties & Civil Rights were in particular very informative and well done. The text is culturally sensitive and consistently makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. For example, I may not get the chance to dedicate a whole class to elections but I can use sections of the chapter on elections in relation to civil rights, to Congress and to the Executive. There are some lapses here. As for "flow," here again I suggest that there are too many "Note" interruptions to the readings. Concepts well explained and presented. presentation. The framework of the chapters is internal consistent. Lincoln preserved . The language is accessible for students in higher education; and likely high school juniors and seniors. One designed to be looked at online, another one that is essentially a replica of the printed version. But the Krutz book has won back my confidence. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. The book seems unbiased - and includes the traditional readings of American Government. The topics in the text are organized, structured, and flow in a logical sequence. Then again maybe that is just my bias because of what information was included and what was omitted. Very well done. The hard copy version is sold by Amazon and other online retailers for about $20 (not sure it includes color for that price). Reviewed by Eileen Feldman, Instructor, Bunker Hill Community College on 11/20/20, 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 assume the work has been, and will continue to be, updated with each election. In the course of using this textbook, I have discovered no significant errors. In other words, most of the world's countries are parliamentary, not presidential. But by sticking to institutional logic, historical examples, and well-established topic controversies that are not going to go away (abortion, executive orders and the use of force, the civil service), the book does an excellent job at avoiding the publishing industrys penchant for planned obsolescence. I would say, though, that while the book is not insensitive, there are plenty of opportunities to weave considerations of the struggles of various groups into its pages rather than shoeboxing them into a few chapters. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. Ive covered organization under clarity above, so setting this aside, the textbook is good at being consistent in its tone and content, and chapters are easy enough to utilize. In addition, some of the information on the map can be confusing for students: the UK is a monarchy and a democracy; and some countries that appear as democracies are transitioning to democracy or are really autocracies. The use of the Electoral College and same-sex marriage across chapters are examples that I found useful in this regard. But the chapter in Foreign Affairs (Chap 17) is thin and needs more meat. SKU: b117200 . read more. Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy. Have used it this semester in 2 sections of my intro Am Gov class with no student complaints. Reviewed by Matthew Jacobsmeier, Associate Professor, West Virginia University on 4/15/20, The book covers all the main topics that good introductory American Government textbooks typically cover and also includes chapters on topics that are not covered in detail in many textbooks. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. An instructor could easily rearrange the order of topics without presenting much disruption to the reader. There is a consistent pattern in terms of the major headings outlined at the beginning of the book. The content is accurate, straightforward, and unbiased. Reviewed by Nicholas Pyeatt, Associate Professor of Political Science, Penn State, Altoona on 2/1/18, The book is very comprehensive. The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. I wish the footnotes included links back to main text. However, many pages have blank gaps in the middle of chapters. Overall, the organization and flow of the textbook is logical and it follows a traditional American Government textbook. : My goal in writing this book is to help you develop the knowledge, skills, and ideals you need to protect your own freedom; to keep democracy alive in the United States. Offers coverage of topics that most instructors would cover in such a class, including political behavior, civil rights/liberties, American Students may struggle with somewhat dated, routine examples. It would be easy to rearrange the chapter order of this textbook to suit the needs and style of most anyone teaching an American government 101 course. I would have preferred more of this, but the book was adequate in this regard. Spelling, punctuation and sentence structure were also all very good. Democratic Values Liberty, Equality, Justice. suggestions as to taking featured topics a step further. Democracy divides us | Alexander Guerrero IAI TV The authors certainly did not skimp on providing information nor did they fail to provide source material in most instances. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and . I would consider using this textbook in my American Government 101. The text also does a better job than most of discussing the importance of Voter Registration in Chapter 7 (Voting and Elections), including coverage of the Voting Rights Act and Shelby County v. Holder (2013). One small issue: I found that I could not order a free 'desk' printed version from the publisher, as is standard for normal texts. For example, p. 44. and in most of the chapters. Style is straightforward. Terminology is placed bolded for easy identification. This . Might be using this text in the spring of 2020, Reviewed by Amedee George, Professor, SUNO on 4/23/19, 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. TEXT: United States Government: Democracy in Action US GOVERNMENT COURSE CALENDAR 2014 - 2015: Unit 1: Foundations of American Government August 19 - September 10 In this Unit: Exploring the Big Ideas Resources & Activities Chapter 1: People and Government. The book is clearly and accessible written. However, I believe that the chapter on Bureaucracy (Chapter 15) would be better placed after the discussion of the Presidency (Chapter 12). LearnSmart with SmartBook adaptive ebook helps students learn faster, study more efficiently, and retain more knowledge. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. This is something that can be adjusted by the instructor, and I rarely teach in the order books present the material anyway. The Feature Boxes act as a springboard to easily engage students beyond the confines of the text. V of the Constitution. The accuracy of the content presented in the Kurtz et al book is as accurate and unbias as one would expect. This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorizing them.The systems listed are not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions. The text is divided into 5 categories. The United States has a complex government system. However, the preponderance of examples from the Obama and Trump eras will become outdated and need updates supplied by the instructor. The "Middle Ground" feature might need to be updated as controversies change but overall this definitely a relevant textbook. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. The textbook is a PDF and presents no problem in terms of viewing. I look at these minor issues as an opportunity for teachers to clarify in lecture, rather than deal-breaking issues. 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. Below are the modifiedexcerpts that are assigned to you. There is much more in this book than I could use in a term, so I would select portions of the chapters. This text could very easily replace the book I have used Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. One Day University presents a series of audio lectures recorded in real-time from some of the top minds in the United States. This text can definitely be broken down not only by chapter but by sections. The chapter-to-chapter progression is logical. For example I like to group Congress and Interest Groups together, the Presidency and Political Parties, and Civil Rights and Civil Liberties with the Judiciary. 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. There are areas where graphics examples could be updated; a few of the federalism chapter charts are using 2014 data. I also think the book does a good job bringing in gender concerns throughout the text. Well-regarded global democracy indexessuch as Freedom House, 2 Varieties of Democracy, 3 and the Economist Intelligence Unit 4all show an erosion of American democracy since 2016. This is a very impressive work, and I will most certainly adopt this book. Concept 1: Foundations of Government . Includes audio, annotation tools, and approaching level option for the student text. That said, many of what appear to be hotlinks in the text did not work when I tested them in December 2018. There are a few points the author may want to consider. AP United States Government and Politics - AP Students - College Board The book does a nice job of acknowledging racial injustice at the time of the American founding, including the Three-Fifths Compromise, as well as the importance of the Civil War Amendments in beginning to correct those wrongs (p. 63). Chapter sections are easily divisible and do not overwhelm the reader with too much information in any single subheading. The textbook is consistently outlined. have taken care to discuss the impact of this issues on minority populations across the many chapters, and not solely in the chapter on Civil Rights as previous texts on the subject tended to do. I did not find enormous blocks of text without subheadings. Words seem arbitrarily capitalized (why capitalize Scalia and McConnell)? Second, key terms in Chapter 17 are wanting. The text was clear and devoid of any unnecessary jargon. My preference would be to have these topics addressed earlier on in the textbook. In the balance, I would say that the textbook does not do as good a job of providing multiple viewpointsor being honest about its own orientationsas those that are professionally published. Chapter 3. Reviewed by Matthew Wright, Associate Professor, American University on 2/1/18, The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: The chapter on civil rights includes sections on African Americans, women, native Americans, Alaskans, Hawaiians and the LGBTQ community. Product details Publisher : McGraw Hill; 1st edition (August 11, 2014) Language : English . Overall the textbook is highly consistent. read more. read more. The deeper learning tools like Middle Ground and so forth allow the reader to learn more about a specific concept using a real world application and should provide the instructor with a ready-made activity that will more actively engage the student be it in an online or seated class. If anything, a few additional terms could likely be added, but this is a nice feature. Overall the organization is quite good. According to From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. Similar to other Introduction to American Government textbooks this book covers the typical material and then some. The textbook does not contain grammatical errors. The sources cited, within the sections of each of the various chapters, are from reputable, recognizable experts in their fields of study. VII of the Constitution. The Foundations of Geopolitics: The Geopolitical Future of Russia is a geopolitical book by Aleksandr Dugin. 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. Overall it is a bit smaller in word count than a traditional hard copy textbook and some of the chapters are smaller than I would like. A Constitutional Democracy Interactive Notebook, which works for both print and Google Drive, investigates and helps gain an understanding of how the federal, state, and local governments in the United States work under the Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship. read more. Sometimes the content makes leaps (are heuristics really an appropriate topic for an Intro to Government textbook, given how complex the concept is in the political psych literature)? 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. Here, the author does provide a chapter on our crappy treatment of some groups, but it is not as inclusive as it could be, and sidesteps coverage of some important groups. Although in the last decade I have opted for brief editions of American government, in an electronic format a longer text is useful for Modularity is clearly possible in this text, although I do not think this criteria should be rated high in importance as to determining whether this is a solid textbook. Reviewed by M. Victoria Perez-Rios, Adjunct Assistant Professor, La Guardia Community College on 5/21/18, The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Edition Hardcover full-color textbook divided into chapters and lessons, with table of contents, atlas, glossary, and index, 952 pages]. I have not tested it on a smartphone; however, on a computer the book is easy to navigate - to move between chapters, sections, pages, etc is easy. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different branches and giving . This text could very easily replace the book I have used ("We the People") for the past 3 years. 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. It presents materials clearly. In the balance, I recognize the critiques above may not sound like the book is a good resource. Reviewed by Jeremiah Castle, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 8/17/20, 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. The text appears to be free from grammatical errors. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. United States Government: A Textbook. 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.