On Display at Blume
Voting and the spirit of American democracy : essays on the history of voting and voting rights in America
This overview of the historical development of the right to vote is the first to appear in over twenty years. Writing in a succinct and lively manner, leading historians and political scientists trace the history of American voting from the colonial period to the present, incorporating the latest scholarship on suffrage reform, woman suffrage, black voting rights, and electoral participation. They explain how voting practices changed over time as the result of broad historical forces such as economic growth, demographic shifts, the results of war, and the rise of political reform movements. By viewing voting within a broad historical context, this book distinguishes itself from narrow, specialized studies, making it a valuable volume for students and general readers.
Citizen democracy : political activists in a cynical age
Apathy and antipathy toward politics are epidemic. Citizen Democracy provides the antidote. In this revised and updated edition, Stephen E. Frantzich portrays citizens from every walk of life―rich and poor, old and young, black and white, male and female, left and right, famous and obscure―as they choose to become involved in politics at a level to which readers can relate. Some of the stories contain unexpected twists. Candy Lightner, the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, now works as a liquor industry lobbyist and argues that MADD has gone too far. College freshman Gregory Watson reacted to receiving a OCO on a political science paper by quitting school and becoming the driving force behind passage of a constitutional amendment that had been the subject of his paper. Two young women independently wrote letters of application to the U.S. Naval Academy and in the process moved military education in the direction of gender neutrality. Citizen Democracy shows ordinary people engaged in extraordinary civic activity. Their causes run the gamut from civil rights to flag burning, from the Internet to the environment―but their common cause is the fact that they creatively entered the arena of national public policy making and made a difference.
Communicating politics: engaging the public in democratic life
In western countries there is a long tradition studying the academic performance of students. Today there is enough empirical evidence showing the link between social origin and educational performance. The first chapter of this book shows how the social class, socio-economic status of family and parents’ expectations about the academic development of their children influence in the educational performance. Chapter two focuses on the empirical literature regarding the relationship of the 65% instructional expenditure ratio, education production function, student achievement, and school district wealth. Chapter three dives into the aspects of executive functioning and its relation to academic achievement, as well as analyzes the connection between the academic achievement and the perception the children have of their own executive functioning. Chapter four analyzes in detail, in accordance with previous theoretical and empirical data, self-protective mechanisms, self-handicapping and defensive pessimism. Chapter five examines the interrelations between academic striving, effective functioning, personal resolve, and school experience of secondary school students. Chapter six examines the influence of shared and non-shared environmental influences on math-based reaction time/chronometric tasks, as well as their influence on the relationship between chronometric and standardized paper-and-pencil tasks.
Saving democracy: a plan for real representation in America
Saving Democracy presents a bold yet practical plan for reinventing American democracy for the twenty-first century. The book diagnoses contemporary political ills as symptoms of corruption in our large republic and develops a new understanding of representative democracy. Building on the ideas of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, Saving Democracy shows how it is possible to combine the traditional town hall and the Internet to fashion a new theory of representative government that empowers citizens and bridges the enormous gap that now exists between the political elite and the average voter.
The politics of democratic inclusion
Shows how institutions foster and hinder political participation of the underrepresented.
Becoming a Citizen: Incorporating Immigrants and Refugees in the United States and Canada
How can societies that welcome immigrants from around the world create civic cohesion and political community out of ethnic and racial diversity? This thought-provoking book is the first to provide a comparative perspective on how the United States and Canada encourage foreigners to become citizens. Based on vivid in-depth interviews with Portuguese immigrants and Vietnamese refugees in Boston and Toronto and on statistical analysis and documentary data, Becoming a Citizen shows that greater state support for settlement and an official government policy of multiculturalism in Canada increase citizenship acquisition and political participation among the foreign born. The United States, long a successful example of immigrant integration, today has greater problems incorporating newcomers into the polity. While many previous accounts suggest that differences in naturalization and political involvement stem from differences in immigrants’ political skills and interests, Irene Bloemraad argues that foreigners' political incorporation is not just a question of the type of people countries receive, but also fundamentally of the reception given to them. She discusses the implications of her findings for other countries, including Australia and immigrant nations in Europe.
U.S. citizenship : a step-by-step guide
In clear and simple language, this test-prep guide explains all the eligibility requirements for citizenship; how and where to apply; how to gain the confidence and knowledge needed to pass the interview and oral exam; offers essential practice with the sample INS questions and a U.S. civics review; and presents true-life stories of people who have recently become citizens. U.S. Citizenship: A Step-by-Step Guide also contains advice on special situations, lists of resources that will help candidates become citizens, and sample forms to help them prepare their applications.
Barron's how to prepare for the U.S. citizenship test
Updated to reflect recent government procedures and regulations, this manual offers extensive groundwork in reading, speaking, and writing English, plus reviews of United States history and government topics. In addition to subject reviews in these test areas, prospective U.S. citizens also get important information on citizenship application procedures, up-to-date examples that instruct on correctly filling out the various application forms, and a general guide to the citizenship application process. Readers will also find up-to-date information on the rights of legal aliens.
Pass the U.S. Citizenship Exam 2008 Edition
In 2008 the US Citizenship exam is changing. This updated edition will reflect the new exam and will offer key information on the entire citizenship process in easy-to-read English. All official INS history and civics questions are covered as well as how and where to apply for citizenship.
Political Participation in the United States
Political Participation in the United States analyzes patterns of political participation by citizens and offers five different explanations for those patterns based on recent research findings.
Symbolic and instrumental forms of participation are analyzed―from the simple act of discussing politics to the more complex one of running for office. The book examines who participates, what forms of participation they choose, and what they hope to accomplish. M. Margaret Conway also considers the reasons for, and the consequences of, non-participation. She concludes with a discussion of the impact of participation on individuals and on the policies and processes of government in the United States.
This new third edition is updated throughout both in its discussion of research about participation, and its examination of participation patterns (through the 1998 elections). Expanded discussions cover: the role of political mobilization in recruiting people to participate; the impact of relative education levels on the types of participation people engage in; and the importance of social connectedness in stimulating participation and acting as a channel for political recruitment.
Facing The Challenge Of Democracy : Explorations In The Analysis Of Public Opinion And Political Participation
Citizens are political simpletons--that is only a modest exaggeration of a common characterization of voters. Certainly, there is no shortage of evidence of citizens' limited political knowledge, even about matters of the highest importance, along with inconsistencies in their thinking, some glaring by any standard. But this picture of citizens all too often approaches caricature.
Paul Sniderman and Benjamin Highton bring together leading political scientists who offer new insights into the political thinking of the public, the causes of party polarization, the motivations for political participation, and the paradoxical relationship between turnout and democratic representation. These studies propel a foundational argument about democracy. Voters can only do as well as the alternatives on offer. These alternatives are constrained by third players, in particular activists, interest groups, and financial contributors. The result: voters often appear to be shortsighted, extreme, and inconsistent because the alternatives they must choose between are shortsighted, extreme, and inconsistent.
The Good Citizen: How a Younger Generation Is Reshaping American Politics
There has been a growing chorus of political analysts with doomsday predictions of an American public that is uncivil, disengaged, and alienated. And it’s only getting worse with a younger generation of Americans who do not see the value in voting. The good news is that the bad news is wrong. Russell Dalton uses a new set of national public opinion surveys to show how Americans are changing their views on what good citizenship means. It’s not about recreating the halcyon politics of a generation ago, but recognition that new patterns of citizenship call for new processes and new institutions that reflect the values of the contemporary American public. Trends in participation, tolerance, and policy priorities reflect a younger generation that is more engaged, more tolerant, and more supportive of social justice. The Good Citizen shows how a younger generation is creating new norms of citizenship that are leading to a renaissance of democratic participation. An important comparative chapter in the book showcases cross-national comparisons that further demonstrate the vitality of American democracy.
This book will reshape how we think about the American public, American youth, and the prospects for contemporary democracy.
Solutions to political polarization in America
Political polarization dominates discussions of contemporary American politics. Despite widespread agreement that the dysfunction in the political system can be attributed to political polarization, commentators cannot come to a consensus on what that means. The coarseness of our political discourse, the ideological distance between opposing partisans, and, most of all, an inability to pass much-needed and widely supported policies all stem from the polarization in our politics. This volume assembles several top analysts of American politics to focus on solutions to polarization. The proposals range from constitutional change to good-government reforms to measures to strengthen political parties. Each tackles one or more aspects of America's polarization problem. This book begins a serious dialogue about reform proposals to address the obstacles that polarization poses for contemporary governance.