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. The text is evenly written with no discernible bias. 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. Access and customize online lesson plans and explore the library of resources. This follows from previous comments. The text is internally consistent with respect terminology and framework. 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. Below are the modified excerpts that are assigned to you. And as stated above, the book is very clear and easy to read, which would make this text easy for students to understand. Also, the hyperlinked notes provide a way for students who want to learn more about an issue. No Rating Yet Discover. The coverage and scope is presented in a way that is well organized, concise, and engaging. I think it does an excellent review of the issue of slavery and how it impacted US government. Each chapters is highly segmented into small units that could easily be assigned at different points within the course or adapted into a dynamic class project/activity with high impact. All of the topics you would expect to be covered in an American government 101 course are here: origins of our republic, institutions, individual action and collective action. Offers coverage of topics that most instructors would cover in such a class, including political behavior, civil rights/liberties, American political culture, and structure. It covers all of the major topics an introductory text should cover and a few others as well. From the founding and Constitution to the major institutions of Congress, Courts, and the Presidency, these major areas are In short, more up to date statistics and graphics should be there. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. It isnt a text about how, say, rational choice affects American politics, but more of a carpet-bombing of information. Many varied examples and leaders are highlighted. There is a standard form to intro Am Gov textbooks, and this one is pretty typical. Other mainstream textbooks will generally issue an updated edition every few years to include the outcomes of new presidential elections. I found the book well-organized and based on a logical structure. 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. The authors for this book have used a standard structure that will stay relevant as long as any other. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 election, and key aspects of the first-term of the Biden administration are usefully addressed in the text. Technical language is defined within the text or in the chapter glossaries. Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. The text follows a chapter layout that is common among American politics texts, beginning with the Constitution and ending with policy. A second point, is figure 3.17 regarding marriage equality. Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. 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 accuracy of the content presented in the Kurtz et al book is as accurate and unbias as one would expect. The foundational material in each chapter/section is relevant and the examples used to explain/apply such material is more up to date than many for profit books I have read. As a form of government, democracy has been practiced for over 2,500 years, though in different forms, such as direct democracy of the ancient Athenian I can definitely see the advantage of having them all in one place. : 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. Chapter 9: Presidential Leadership - Freeman Middle School Reviewed by Charles Young, Associate Professor, Umpqua Community College on 2/8/17, I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct discussion of motivated reasoning. The chapters have a mix of history, current facts and evidence along with key concepts traditional of American government texts. font-weight: 400; Overall, all expected topics, and then some, are covered, hence the text is certainly comprehensive enough by any measure of expectation in an introduction to American government text. The text is consistent in its use of terminology. 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. For example, the term latent opinion comes up in the introductory chapter. Customize the learning experience for differentiated instruction using leveled reading, customizable assessments and worksheets, and flexible online learning tools. To some extent, though, that would make this a book with a specific orientation, which defies one of its strengths. 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. A number of important factors are left out. Perhaps more specific information about the Supreme Court case regarding employment and other cases could be fleshed out. On the other hand, if students were to use their phones to try to read the book I could see that being a problem. United States Government: Our Democracy allows high school students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels. The language might not appeal as well to the Z generation. 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. There could be more treatment of the concept of power in the beginning of the book. I would teach the course with Part 1 first, the Part 4 and Chapter 15, then Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. Overall I find the writing to be at an appropriate level for first-year college students. The textbook is consistent and the framework is adhered to in each chapter. Back to List. The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. I found no appreciable errors in the textbook. My issue is that the map doesn't show differences among those democracies (e.g., parliamentary, presidential, etc.). by Richard C. Remy. The only section that I would point to specifically that I think could be improved significantly comes in Chapter 2, Section 5 and the discussion of Constitutional Change. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. The textbook interface is free from any major interface issues or navigation problems. 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. It avoids jargon and does a very good job clearly defining terms. read more. In the next sentence, the author writes "Another way the media socializes audiences is through framing." The writers were able to demonstrate intersections across time, incorporating themes that could easily be segregated in a single chapter. Even though there are many different authors/contributors the book reads like a cohesive work. United States Government: Our Democracy 2018. } read more. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. These will not significantly modify the content of the text, so you should be alright either way. The book was written at a high level but not an unclear one. 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. These help to engage students and cultivate reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills in a unique, and ever-growing platform. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security The historical approaches in many chapters provide contextualization of concepts. This is a pragmatic generation of learners. For their effort and expertise, I commend them and those who have supported this project. For instance, right off the bat, the critique of socialism seems to take the position that socialism is inherently and entirely distinct from our system, which isnt accurate. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. Chapters six and seven are uncharacteristic. And the text generally attempts to present its material in a balanced and unbiased way, presenting several perspectives on controversial issues. I was actually surprised at the 'updatedness" of the book. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. Democracy divides us | Alexander Guerrero IAI TV My experience is that a significant number of my students will not read/fully comprehend a 30-40 page chapter at one pass. Of course the book's "longevity" is not likely to be long just because of the nature of the subject matter. Republic vs. Democracy: What Is the Difference? - ThoughtCo I like the "Feature Boxes" with the "Get Connected!" This organization allows instructors and students to easily reference particular sub-units of content. To expect of our students to readily pursue this extent of "Notes" is excessive, and the opposite effect I suggest occurs, namely a sense of being overwhelmed by such extra content.This is in my opinion too much to expect of our students. In fact, I wish there was an entire chapter devoted to Campaigns and Elections. al have done so in this text. Nearly every chapter has classic and current concepts to understand the evolution and development of institutions. 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 . Mrs Doering s Classroom Government Wikispaces. The structural framework of the chapters maintains a similar design throughout. 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. .nav-contain-highered{ 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. The graphics were very well done. Instructors will have no difficulty omitting certain topics/chapters. Digital Teacher Lesson Center: Easily access all teaching resources and classroom management tools for the curriculum. The text is fairly clear but lacks some of the professional editing that I frequently see in pay-to-play textbooks. 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. The content is concise to the point it is accessible for early undergraduates, but also in depth enough that real coverage of the topics exists. In a couple instances such as above, they simply need to be done. I found it especially comprehensive in its coverage of civil rights, voter registration and turnout, and the concluding policy chapters. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are One important tenet of this system is democracy, in which the ultimate power rests with the people. 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.. The textbook content is clearly organized into sensible modules. Engaging for an open textbook. I found the book to be clear and precise in its discussions and presentation of material. The text moves cleanly through concepts and important sections of each chapter. The second edition of the text provides more than 100 substantial updates from the last two years. Democracy Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster That noted, I will assign a section or two to aid in a specific class activity and these chapters can be used to supplement material in another course or two, particularly State & Local Government. The various appendixes include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Federalist 10 and 51 and a couple of other items. However, this text would need to be updated after all national elections (mid-term and presidential). As a teacher of history also, I especially look for historical accuracy. This textbook is perfect for my American government course that I teach to undergraduates at the community college level. This usefully guides the reader and provides the shared language and conceptual understanding necessary for more nuanced, thoughtful analysis. The book addresses difficult issues in an appropriate way. United States Government: Our Democracy (2016) Publisher: McGraw-Hill . And the conclusion of each chapter follows a common format including key terms definitions, summaries of each subchapter, about twenty multiple choice and essay questions, and a list of suggested readings for further study. By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. Has good index. I did not find any grammatical errors in the text. 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. The 'Insider Perspective' sections in each chapter reflect this in their profiles of diverse individuals. The book does not seem to be culturally insensitive, and I like the inclusion of the Equal Protection for Other Groups in section 5.5. This is certainly the Achilles Heel of American government textbooks, some of which have been written as direct reactions to, say, the 2016 elections or the lens of inequality. I also don't perceive any bias. In my own courses, I am going to make up for this by assigning articles from CQ Researcher. I was quite impressed by the clear prose used in this text. I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster and everyone else has a seat belt. The attention to both content and process in the chapters on policy is useful. PDF The State of Democracy in the United States - CGTN