united states government: our democracy textbook pdf

Chapter 8 on the Media is the best chapter I've seen on that subject. The material is not overly self-referential. Faculty are used to getting free copies of texts. The book also includes more whitespace than a typical textbook (e.g. I do wish there was a bit more of a unified explanatory framework that was used throughout the chapters, though. The text is wide-ranging and inclusive to a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in its examples, particularly in the chapters on individual agency and action. 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. We have stopped printing many old products, but we might have some stock in our warehouse. Also, discussions are not biased toward any political ideology. The United States Government Manual. I was actually surprised at the 'updatedness" of the book. Us Government Democracy In Action Teachers 2000. In each chapter, there are charts, diagrams, pictures from the news media that are appropriate, and informative that connect with the material in the chapter. 35. To be clear, it is not culturally insensitive. An easy example is seen in not grouping the federal bureaucracy in part 4 with the other institutions, instead placing it in section 5, the outputs of government. The book is internally consistent. This progression is evident, for example, in the learning objectives that begin each section of the text. The textbook has clear images and charts. .nav-contain-highered p{ However, the text provides a strong historical perspective on the issues that it addresses, so much of the texts discussion will continue to be relevant and applicable even with the passage of time. Grammar and sentence structure are appropriate for the reading comprehension level expected in an introductory level course. 9. At the edges, the composition of Congress and descriptive representation will need to be updated. Accuracy is excellent, with essentially an unbiased and error-free content (and i do judge rather stringently the accuracy of historical content given I teach history as well). 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. The textbook is a PDF and presents no problem in terms of viewing. Overall, the textbook is written in a traditional format. 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. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. The Colonial Experience. The modularity is effective, though the order of the contents is the order I've been using for years, so I wouldn't have to make any changes.. That said, those places were few and far between. The textbook interface is free from any major interface issues or navigation problems. I haven't found inconsistencies throughout the text as to terminology and framework. 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. Photos and other content (such as graphs) are clearly positioned and captioned, providing useful supplementation to the written content. read more. But I would rather have it smaller so I can add what I think is important than have too much material overwhelm the students. You can use that resource if you would . The text is written in lucid prose with technical terminology highlighted, defined in the text, and listed again in a glossary. Even worse, most of the Domestic Policy chapter is a theoretical discussion of policy; the only substantive area that gets much coverage is budgeting and tax policy (section 16.5). The material is generally laid out in a straightforward fashion that should make sense to the reader. The definitions in the glossary are precise. read more. 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. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. Images and charts that are presented are not distractions at all, most of the time they are enhancements of the chapters. The interface is excellent. Text is well written and provides adequate context for necessary political science terminology. There is also a Link to Learning in each module that guides readers to content related updates that are available online. For example, while Federalism (Chapter 3) is included in the "Students and the System" section, State and Local Government comes much later in the book (Chapter 14, in the "Formal Institutions" section). Within the chapters, there are simple navigational linksoften to external resourcesthat are helpful and not distracting. This edition (2016) has been eclipsed by the huge changes under Trump, but that is also true of all 'standard' texts. Introduction, Consitution, Federalism, Civil Rights and Liberties, Parties and Ideology, Opinion and Media, Congress, President, Courts, state and local, and International Affairs. A democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small . Chapter 8 on the Media is the best chapter I've seen on that subject. The Founders and Federalism. The text offers a consistent presentation of terms situated within a logical and approachable framework for college students. Instructors will have no difficulty omitting certain topics/chapters. United States Government: A Textbook. There seems to be a great emphasis on students and the system, as indicated in Part 1, and civic engagement more generally. These add up quickly and at times break up material where paragraphs or explanations would benefit from remaining connected. The content is very up-to-date and includes/examines relevant current issues. The relevance of content is a real strength of this text. These examples were not solely places in the civil right unit, but incorporated throughout the text; which is significant. Furthermore, it also includes chapters on linkage institutions like parties, interest groups, and the media. Additionally, there are critical thinking questions offered that challenge students to consider how persons different from them may feel regarding not only the history of the treatment they have received based on who they are, but how politics, public opinion, media coverage, public policy, and court decisions impact their ability to fully participate in our democracy. SyncBlasts:Online SyncBlasts permit teachers to leverage rich, multi-media reading and writing assignments focused on social studies and current event articles. Complex ideas were synthesized inlanguage that was easy to understand. The more niche chapters like Public Opinion could use a freshen up on the theoretical concepts. Then they are taught about the Founding of our country; moving on to the concepts of federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, and then to the institutions of our democracy. You have been searching for correct information on United States Government Our Democracy Textbook . Teachers Edition:The print Teacher Wraparound Edition is built on the principles of Understanding by Design. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct discussion of motivated reasoning. Origins of American Government Articles of Confederation Power Point Note Packet. Chapter 8 on the Media is the best chapter I've seen on that subject. On the plus side, the fact that the chapters are divided into sections aids the instructor in assigning chunks of material and the reader in being able to jump to a particular section therein. As mentioned earlier, chapters are structured in reasonable ways. line-height: 1.5 !important; I also think the book does a good job bringing in gender concerns throughout the text. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. Rousseau more clearly articulated the concept of Social Contract, borrowed from Locke. One of many things I like about this textbook is that it is well organized throughout. The concise introductions at the beginning of each chapter effectively frame the chapter topic. I don't think that would be a problem here, because the chapters are for the most part logically defined and pretty self-contained. Usually the image it only an inch or two from the Figure citation, but not always clear. 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. Overall the book is balanced, but there are areas where things could be more even handed. The book is very comprehensive. Very clearly explains important concepts; I can use my own assignments to require graduate level thinking and expand on the complications/interactions of the text concepts, etc. Each chapter starts with basic concepts and moves discussion toward topics which need more critical thinking. }. Overall, this was an excellent e-book. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. Textbook solutions. The information is up-to-date through the 2016 presidential election and makes reference to the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The textbook is written in a way that is easy to understand. font-weight: 400; Adopting profs should read the chapters carefully so they know what areas get deeper coverage, and what areas get shallower treatment. For example, the text's section on "Engagement in a Democracy," outlines how individuals can become more civically engaged and showcases how ordinary people can effect change. This is also one of the longer chapters in the book coming in at about 50 pages. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. Democracy is a means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens' preferences. Other critical concepts such as "security dilemma" and "domino theory" need to be introduced. As mentioned earlier, the book is reasonably up to date. read more. The text is evenly written with no discernible bias. Further, the writing is clear and concise. The 5 sections of the book could also be broken apart, for instance I would assign Chapter 15, but not 16 or 17, given the constraints of time. Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. Similar to removing the bureaucracy form the discussion of institutions, I found the grouping of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights with Public Opinion and Elections to be an odd placement decision. The "Key terms" section at the end of each chapter is a great resource for students studying for multiple choice exams. From the founding and Constitution to the major institutions of Congress, Courts, and the Presidency, these major areas are My biggest concerns lie with the unconventional ordering of the material, as well as the density of the text throughout. font-family: ProximaNova,Helvetica Neue,Arial,Noto Sans,Liberation Sans,sans-serif,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Noto Color Emoji !important; If you click on the Media icon subsets you can go straight to that subsection of the Media chapter. 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 textbook's content is accurate, free from errors, and unbiased. The end-of-the-chapter resources are also quite good (better than I've seen in many books from commercial publishers). Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy. The book is very up to date for early 2017, including data from the 2016 campaign and elections, as well as very contemporary policy debates and legal issues. I spotted no factual inaccuracies, and the text does not belay any obvious political bias. By: Donald A. Ritchie and Richard C. Remy and M. Ed. 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). Each module is self-contained with its own summaries, key terms, assessments, and suggestions for further study. I wish the footnotes included links back to main text. The unit heading probably need more explanation and their rationale for selecting the chapters under each unit topic spelled out. There is much more in this book than I could use in a term, so I would select portions of the chapters. For example, on page 205 of the text, the author writes "With the rise of the Internet and social media, however, traditional media have become less powerful agents of this kind of socialization." The book is available in multiple formats. I think the flow of the book is clear, with different headings and images to explain the material. My own opinion is that the biggest shortcoming is a lack of current events coverage. 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). The book is updated through to the present day. Page_number_confidence 94.70 Pages 922 Pdf_module_version 0.0.20 Ppi 386 Related-external-id urn:isbn:0078786886 urn:oclc:435012046 urn:isbn:0078784050 urn:isbn:0078747627 urn:oclc . There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used. My experience is that a significant number of my students will not read/fully comprehend a 30-40 page chapter at one pass. read more. Toward Collective Action: Mediating Institutions, Delivering Collective Action: Formal Institutions. In fact, Kurtz et al. Included is a Power Point and outlined note packet that is used to introduce the origins of government for a high school American Government course. The text is suitably consistent even though there are many chapter authors. Such being said, I believe this textbook is far ahead of other options I have seen as far as modularity and the ability for the instructor to chunk portions of the chapter for the assigned reading each week. The content is presented in a way that scaffolds the reader's knowledge from basic understanding of the historical context and key concepts toward analysis, synthesis, and finally enables critical assessment of ideas. The narrative is engaging and very well written. The details and interpretations of major issues provided by the text are accurate and helpful. One particular aspect related to the question of comprehensiveness was the authors decision to include a chapter on state and local government. I like that the chapters are divided into numbered subsections, which helps give students clearer instructions when I am dividing chapters over multiple days. The charts, graphs and figures are well done and supplement the content. As a policy professor with professional experience in the field, I would be likely to use cases to follow up about how policy content accounts for those decisions in a process that includes policy actors (private and public)). I believe that modularity is one of the strengths of this text. I reviewed the book for about 3 hours, and I could probably spend another 3 hours finding other "issues." In a couple instances such as above, they simply need to be done. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range. The next time I teach American politics, I will definitely use this text. 13-23) A. The text makes frequent use of examples that seek to inform through inclusion so as to make the material more relevant to individuals from a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Was: $150.00 Now: $120.00. Formal Institutions include Congress, The Courts, and The Presidency). As noted, perhaps the authors will consider a further subdivision in this regard. Also, I was disappointed that I requested access to the instructor resources a few weeks ago, but as of the start of the semester I have still not received access. Logical and standard fare. 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. Foundations of Our Democracy (Aug 22-26) Monday: Roots of Democratic Government - All About Me (Assignment) . But the chapter in Foreign Affairs (Chap 17) is thin and needs more meat. Experiences and participation of African-American, Latinx, Asian, indigenous, women, and LGBT citizens fill a chapter. It provides an effective index as well as a glossary of key terms at the end of each chapter. read more. However, all textbooks--standard or OER--face this issue. - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something The consistency and cohesion of the organization of the textbook is on par with all the other material on the market. It supplements text content with useful links that serve as a great tool for boosting application and comprehension. It includes many examples that students with a wide variety of backgrounds and characteristics should be able to relate to. The accuracy of the content is reinforced by the textbook's frequent use of references, such as source citations, to articles, books, and studies. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. In other words, most of the world's countries are parliamentary, not presidential. Yes, the topics are presented in logical and clear fashion. A United Nation Requires a Strong Government. For example, I appreciate the discussion of women as political candidates in the chapter on elections. To learn about the specific purchase options for this program, please contact our Customer Service team at 800-338-3987. I did not notice anything offensive, but the textbook could be updated in the future on the topic of transgender individuals. This Electoral College voting method is referred to as the district system." Perhaps the next addition could add a supplement for each chapter or unit containing other voices which could be an effective shortcut for the instructor and of interest to our contemporary student base that is more diverse in many areas than 10-20 years ago. This is disappointing but not fatal as I can update in class using the overhead. Perhaps the next addition could include an index listing the section number of those various tools to make it easier for students to find. When you become a U.S. citizen, you also make these promises: give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) do important work for the nation (if needed) I like how you included the FCC. Most textbooks for undergraduates in this topic area More charts and illustrations interspersed would help maintain student engagement as they read the chapters. The text is a fully integrated print-digital solution for students and teachers. This course must give freshman students the conceptual baseline tools to advance to the next grade. Each chapter offers an introduction, 3 to 5 written sections covering the topic, key terms, summary, review questions, critical thinking questions, and suggestions for further study. The interface is well done. It seems to be equal to any 'standard' Am Gov text. The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. The book contained appropriate section breaks so that students can jump directly to the relevant subsection. 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). It has begun. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. I think that the textbook goes too far in this direction. I do find, however, the text to be more densely worded than preferable. read more. read more. However, clearly, the information in this textbook is presented, in a manner that allows for updating as changing occur with major political events, elections, Supreme Court decisions, demographical data, and public opinion. I like the fact that the authors attempt to present both sides in discussing problems and issues which contributes to an unbias pr Unlike many other textbooks, it has a separate chapter on State and Local government which I think would be useful as I found it is helpful for students to understand the It is a well-written and solid introduction to American Government. I found the text to be eminently user friendly with no issues what so ever navigating within the chapters. (Read Madeleine Albright's Britannica essay on democracy.) In Chapter Four, for example, there are six "Note" sections in the first four pages and for the book as a whole, the average is one to two "Notes" per page. Greek city-state or polis b) New England town meeting c) Abandoned as size of towns increased and issues became more complex 2. Overall, I like the organization of each chapter with the review questions, further reading and film suggestions. The comprehensiveness of Krutz's American Government text is such that it more than adequately addresses the curricular requirements of the American government and politics courses offered by the Virginia Community College System. pdf: Download File. The text's content also features an excellent collection of relevant, recent landmark Supreme Court cases, including Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and Obergefell v. Hodges. I have used it in my classes and value its comprehensive nature and the ease of access and affordability it provides for my students. Equality in voting 2. Delivering Collective Action: Formal Institutions 5. Not much to comment on here. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. 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. The explanation of disagreements and legal decisions in particular is objective yet clear what values, tradeoffs, etc were at stake and how the decisions affected government especially. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. While the examples could become outdated, the issues used have been relevant for a long period of time. The clearer organization is a benefit to undergraduate students who may be taking the course as a required course. There are some chapters I would probably not use (the policy chapters) and I would prefer the chapters in a different order (institutions before Of course since a key feature of this book is to present a considerable amount of material that combines theory and application and stimulate critical thinking, covering the volume of materials given the way it is divided may present a challenge over one semester. .nav-contain-highered{ In general, I am impressed by the amount of thought and research that has gone in to preparing this edition. read more. I like the "Feature Boxes" with the "Get Connected!" The text repeatedly incorporates up-to-date examples to illustrate its reasoning and explain how foundational themes relate to contemporary political developments. Fourth, the idea that the winner-take-all approach to election is the reason for the two-party system is a conventional and weak argument, and there are no citations to back up the text (pp. At times, the chapters are heavy with history and not as much with theory. Additionally, there is a strong foundation of accurate historical background presented, especially in the Constitution chapter that provides the background necessary for understanding. The highlighting of key terms and the examples that are provided are helpful. Generally speaking, I think this textbook does as good a job at this as any other good textbook. ), does a bit better job of using a small number of key concepts transaction costs, conformity costs, free riding, the prisoners dilemma, etc. Great looking book and the price point would be very beneficial to students. text-decoration: underline; The use of terminology appears to be consistent between chapters and is a strength of the textbook as repetition is valuable for student retention of a particular term or concept. I liked the film recommendations as references, although I wondered why they only came after three chapters (Intro, Congress, Courts)? The text does not contain any grammatical errors.

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