The index is useful. The online navigation is exceptionally good. Reviewed by Hyokyung Kwak, Assistance Professor, College of Charleston on 9/19/21, This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. The main framework chapters are excellent and thorough. After review, I was impressed with this text on a number of fronts namely its clear writing style and comprehensive nature. The text, while voluminous, should be readily understandable to the typical student. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are addressed. The index is thorough and easily navigable with direct links to the Grammar is as good as one would expect from a textbook from a commercial press. Images and charts that are presented are not distractions at all, most of the time they are enhancements of the chapters. I made significant checks throughout the textbook and found it to accurate in the information provided. I had no problems with navigation and saw no distortion of images and charts. It's very well organized. font-weight: 400 !important;
Instructors planning on using this book may want to request access to the instructor resources very early to avoid issues. United States Government: Our Democracy allows high school students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels. 334-335). However, when I went over each chapter in detail I realized that there is no consistency throughout the textbook regarding the film selection. The entire unmodified textbook can be accessed here on OpenStax, where you can also download a PDF, install the app, or even order a hard copy from Amazon if you desire. Identify politics should be present in more sections of the text. This is a hard aspect of any textbook. The textbook provides for a comprehensive overview of American Government. United States makes some of the nation's most important decisions. The text is free from interface issues as it was easy to read and navigate, and the graphics displayed properly. and J. D. and Lee Arbetman and Megan L. Hanson and M.S. 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. The text would be easily divisible by chapter. In fact, I would critique the text somewhat in the other direction, there are a few points where important related ideas are broken into different subsections. It is impossible to cover all the material in a quarter college course, this format allows selective teacher emphasized learning outcomes. Overall the organization is quite good. Introduction, Consitution, Federalism, Civil Rights and Liberties, Parties and Ideology, Opinion and Media, Congress, President, Courts, state and local, and International Affairs. I didnt have any difficulty navigating the book. Analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources including text excerpts, political cartoons, photographs, graphs, charts, and maps. I saw no problems and particularity liked the emphasis on voter registration in the Voting and Elections unit. First, on page 15, in Figure 1.6, is a map illustrating different forms of government throughout the world. One example to consider is presented in chapter 10, section 5 discussing the free speech rights of interest groups versus calls to regulate their activity. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. by Richard C. Remy. This book is very impressive, as is. The textbooks language is not as direct and as appealing to the pedagogical style of this new generation of students. 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.. 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. As clearly noted, I found far more to like about the text than not. Elazar is a bit dated to present as useful fact (14.2) Many Supreme Court Justices do not regard the Court systems as the guardians of individual rights, but reserve this right to Congressthe Court, in their eyes, is there only to enforce laws that are made, whether right or wrong, so long as they are strictly in concordance with the Constitution. no out-of-focus or bad images, good graphs, clear text, etc). In the table of contents, chapter 17 is titled "Chapter 17: Foreign Polict.". At the same time, given the overall quality of this book and the money my students would save if I assigned it, I am seriously considering changing texts for the first time in over a decade. My least favorite chapter concerns Federalism (3), not because of the topic but I just think that chapter is not as informative as others. I found this textbook to have excellent coverage and scope. 7. 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. The figure icon needs to be fixed or dropped. Established in the introduction are the necessity and rationale for student interest and participation in their government. This text is VERY detailed in its coverage, which is impressive and surprising given its relative brevity. The book's content is accurate. The book is clearly and accessible written. The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. The is consistent in its use of terminology, and the frameworks that it provides are generally helpful and clear. 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. The book also includes more whitespace than a typical textbook (e.g. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. This text could very easily replace the book I have used ("We the People") for the past 3 years. This means that you promise loyalty to the United States. -- to shed light on a wide variety of phenomena and encourage students to think analytically. read more. Democracy and government, the U.S. political system, elected officials and governmental institutions Americans are generally positive about the way democracy is working in the United States. Some of the pages could use a little more color to add some pop. line-height: 1.5 !important;
One issue, however, that might be addressed is with the word "media." The text is culturally sensitive and consistently makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. The text provides an accurate, informative, cost-effective option for college students. The glossary of terms after each chapter and the illustrations, examples, color pictorials and web links are all critical to the issue of clarity. Perhaps more specific information about the Supreme Court case regarding employment and other cases could be fleshed out. read more. This is the easiest area for remarks for this review. Sometimes it is used in plural sense, but most often used in the singular sense. Democracy in the United States is strong, but showing some cracks. But it is an impressive work overall. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. Modularity is important for me as I usually find myself teaching "out of order" with respect to the book's chapter organization. Some texts may cover only one additional chapter other than the In addition the appendix with major judicial cases will withstand the passing of time and it isn't difficult to add a couple of relevant cases per judicial year and then review the choices every four or five years. The book's layout is consistent. The text is extremely consistent. The text contains a variety of ideas and concepts. 1. I did not see any clear cultural bias on the part of the authors. These add up quickly and at times break up material where paragraphs or explanations would benefit from remaining connected. I was not able to determine any instances of errors, although there are a few places where the coverage was a bit subjective or questionable. That is, of course, just one area. 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. And, as an instructor, I particularly appreciate the supplemental resources provided for teachers and the study aides in each chapter for students. I reviewed the book for about 3 hours, and I could probably spend another 3 hours finding other "issues." As to presenting information in an unbiased minor, I would argue that Kurtz et. In fact, Kurtz et al. LGBT rights seem to be given less treatment than African American rights. Democracy in the United States. This coverage emphasizes and links back to the section of the text on Civic Engagement. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers 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 reader benefits from content that is organized in a fashion that is both comprehensible and predictable. I liked the fact that the book had several subsections within each chapter. You can use that resource if you would . The text acknowledges multiple perspectives of race, ethnicity, gender, ability and other backgrounds. 5.0. Similar t the question about modularity, the organization and flow of the book is partially a matter of the author and editor's preference. The book follows a relatively consistent framework for presentation throughout. The historical approaches in many chapters provide contextualization of concepts. The textbook includes many illustrations, photographs, and examples that are recent enough for students to be able to relate to without much difficulty. The text is very up to date, using examples from as recently as 2016. 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. Digital Student Learning Center:Includes the full student edition and inquiry journal, plus engaging resources that provide context and bring the narrative to life such as maps, timelines, infographics, primary sources, images, and videos. The book is updated through to the present day. 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. 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. Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that is not reductive. Key terms are also defined at the end of each chapter. Citizen control of the agenda 5. The chapters are well organized and user friendly. The book is very accessible. I don't think that would be a problem here, because the chapters are for the most part logically defined and pretty self-contained. 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. I also wish that some videos were integrated into the text as students love videos and this might help to draw them into the content even more. It is licensed as such: Portions may be subject to prior copyright or may be in the Public Domain. Also, where is David Hume? Democracy is a means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens' preferences. For example, the civil rights chapter is organized into five components, including: 1) what are civil rights, 2) African-American civil rights, 3) women's civil rights, 4) civil rights for indigenous groups, and 5) equal protection for other groups. In updates to this text, it may be useful to search for more contemporary illustrations of key concepts, and this would be a relatively easy fix to implement. You'll learn how the men who created the U.S. Constitution set up a structure of government intended to stand the test of time, and how the compromises they made left some questions unresolved that continue to be debated today. The textbook contents are organized in an insightful way, beginning with core foundational elements of the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights. , but for next semester, the text needs to provide 2016 turnout and election data. Solid end of chapter educational aids are provided. I recommend considering the use of this book for an introductory American Government course. Of course, whenever there are big changes on the Supreme Court or in the American governmental structure updates would need to be made. Generally speaking, I think this textbook does as good a job at this as any other good textbook. None that I could detect. American Government 2e offers a comprehensive survey of the core aspects of the US political system. Not a major issue for $40, but annoying. Reviewed by Charles Young, Associate Professor, Umpqua Community College on 1/3/20, The text covers exactly what an introduction to political science/government textbook should cover. 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. From an aesthetic perspective, the textbook has a fair amount of graphic material that is appealing to students. The textbook follows the usual model of an American Government textbook. It provides an effective index as well as a glossary of key terms at the end of each chapter. Independence and the Articles of Confederation. 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. I believe the language used in the text is entirely appropriate for an introductory college course on the subject. In his haste to laud American democracy as a good, if evolving, system, the author sometimes fails to recognize critical perspectives, or interpret them as straw-men. I was actually surprised at the 'updatedness" of the book. This text could very easily replace the book I have used Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. Below are the modified excerpts that are assigned to you. In some cases, the additional or special chapter focuses on a specific policy area such as environmental policy or housing policy. This item: United States Government; Our Democracy, c 2018, 9780076681136, 0076681130. by McGraw-Hill Education Paperback . These examples were not solely places in the civil right unit, but incorporated throughout the text; which is significant. Prior to reviewing this text, I was not very familiar with open source textbooks. There are long stretches of well written but long winded paragraphs. These subjects were covered using terminology that was timely and clear. There are some chapters I would probably not use (the policy chapters) and I would prefer the chapters in a different order (institutions before behavior), but that is something that can come through teaching. 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. It is not overly burdensome or clunky or overwhelming in its text portions. Customize the learning experience for differentiated instruction using leveled reading, customizable assessments and worksheets, and flexible online learning tools. The only suggestion that I would make is to include a little bit more political psychology, especially in the chapters on public opinion and the media. 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. 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. Additionally, if I made any additions to the text, you may not have them. The text was easily navigable and the Index, search function, and drop-down menus in the Table of Contents functioned seamlessly. While no text does a perfect job at inclusiveness, I was impressed at the myriad examples of diverse cultural experiences incorporated throughout the text. I think the flow of the book is clear, with different headings and images to explain the material. There are minor mistakes in some of the tables and figures, too. The "Key terms" sections at the end of each chapter will be helpful to students who aren't sure whether they understand a particular term. read more. Overall, the organization and flow of the textbook is logical and it follows a traditional American Government textbook. In the balance, I recognize the critiques above may not sound like the book is a good resource. Surely, it would be impossible to cover all the relevant material in this book, but its format does allow the instructor to be selective about the sections within each chapter to be emphasized. There are currently no items in your shopping cart. I am not sure about the process of updates though and I suspect that within one or two years the book will need a refresh. For example, the term latent opinion comes up in the introductory chapter. I appreciate the spacing of the material, and think that it makes it very clear and readable. This organization allows instructors and students to easily reference particular sub-units of content. The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. In general, I am impressed by the amount of thought and research that has gone in to preparing this edition. The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. The text's interface is similar to any American Government textbook and has clear charts, tables, and numerous features that are clear and unobtrusive. Others may view this as a downside, because students will have less guidance in identifying the major themes or "thesis" of the course. 1997. Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. For the most part, this book does as good a jobif not betterat sidestepping this capsules in time and offering something that need not be edited or updated often (though, some updates are always necessary as government is constantly evolving). UPC: 9780076681136 Founding Father James Madison may have best described the difference between a democracy and a republic: "It [the difference] is that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person: in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. read more. Further, the writing is clear and concise. the Cold War era is not well articulated. . Reviewed by Nicholas Pyeatt, Associate Professor of Political Science, Penn State, Altoona on 2/1/18, The book is very comprehensive. United States Government Our Democracy Textbook PDF Book Details . The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. For over eight decades, The United States Government Manual has been the "official handbook" of the Federal Government. Chapter 8, Section 3 discussing the media and particularly the FCC is a very strong section of the text. Logical and standard fare. I did not see any issues with the accuracy of the book. 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. However, there were some paragraphs, that were a bit wordy and I am concerned that at times the author may lose the student due to this wordiness. My only critique of the book is that the sections on Congress, the presidency, and the court system appear later on in the textbook. The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. There are sections in the textbook that resemble a history textbook. The examples used throughout the text are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds. The framework in the textbook and within chapters is consistent with other traditional publications. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and . It is not overly complicated and written at the appropriate level.