American Government and Politics

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Communication in the Information Age

  • Communication, Information, and the Media
  • News
  • Opinion and Commentary
  • New Media
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Structure of Government Power

  • The First American Political System
  • Creating and Ratifying the Constitution
  • Constitutional Principles and Provisions
  • The Constitution in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 3: Federalism

  • Federalism as a Structure for Power
  • The Meanings of Federalism
  • Why Federalism Works (More or Less)
  • Federalism in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 4: Civil Liberties

  • The Bill of Rights
  • Religion, Speech, the Press, Assembly, and Petition
  • Arms, Search and Seizure, Accusation, Punishment, Property, and Privacy
  • Civil Liberties in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 5: Civil Rights

  • Civil War Amendments and African Americans
  • Other Minorities, Women, Lesbians, Gay Men, and the Disabled
  • Civil Rights in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 6: Political Culture and Socialization

  • Political Culture
  • Political Socialization
  • Political Culture and Socialization in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 7: Public Opinion

  • What Is Public Opinion?
  • Democracy and Public Opinion
  • Polling the Public
  • Public Opinion in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 8: Participation, Voting, and Social Movements

  • What Is Political Participation?
  • Why People Participate
  • Who Participates and Who Does Not
  • Social Movements
  • Participation, Voting, and Social Movements in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 9: Interest Groups

  • The Interest Group System
  • Lobbying: The Art of Influence
  • Interest Groups and the Political System
  • Interest Groups in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 10: Political Parties

  • History of American Political Parties
  • Political Parties Today
  • Party Organization
  • Party in Government
  • Party Identification
  • Minor Parties
  • Political Parties in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 11: Campaigns and Elections

  • Election Campaigns
  • Media and Election Campaigns
  • Presidential Elections
  • George W. Bush Reelected in 2004
  • Barack Obama Elected in 2008
  • Congressional and Other Elections
  • Campaigns and Elections in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 12: Congress

  • The Powers of Congress
  • A Bicameral Legislative Branch
  • Parties in Congress
  • House Leadership
  • Senate Leadership
  • Committees
  • The Legislative Process
  • Members of Congress
  • Congress in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 13: The Presidency

  • Chapter Introduction
  • The Powers of the Presidency
  • How Presidents Get Things Done
  • The Presidency in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 14: The Bureaucracy

  • What Is Bureaucracy?
  • Policymaking, Power, and Accountability in the Bureaucracy
  • The Federal Bureaucracy in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 15: The Courts

  • The US Legal System
  • Power of the US Supreme Court
  • Selecting Federal Judges
  • The Courts in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 16: Policymaking and Domestic Policies

  • The US Economy
  • Making Public Policies
  • Major Domestic Policies
  • Policymaking and Domestic Policies in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing

• Chapter 17: Foreign and National Security Policies

  • The Executive Branch Makes Foreign and Military Policies
  • Influence from Congress and Outside Government
  • The Major Foreign and National Security Policies
  • The George W. Bush Administration
  • Foreign and National Security Policies in the Information Age
  • Recommended Reading
  • Recommended Viewing