I like to 'build' my curriculum from a variety of sources; this book could provide a foundation. To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.Web . 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. 36 Question #70. read more. Modularity is important for me as I usually find myself teaching "out of order" with respect to the book's chapter organization. The content of the book is accurate. A number of important factors are left out. The text is also 100% iPad compatible. democracy, literally, rule by the people. My experience is that a significant number of my students will not read/fully comprehend a 30-40 page chapter at one pass. This provides the Media with an opportunity to fill this vacuum. No obvious grammatical errors that I noticed. suggestions as to taking featured topics a step further. In addition, the reading selections are inconsistentsome are very long lists and others only include five or six books. They examine these conflicts in our democracy by reading primary sources, summarizing based on textual evidence, and beginning analysis of multiple perspectives for text. The supplemental materials (graphs, charts, figures, etc.) That is, of course, just one area. This book would be easy to update as changes occur. But the chapter in Foreign Affairs (Chap 17) is thin and needs more meat. I liked the fact that the book had several subsections within each chapter. The chapters are subdivided into appropriate sections with relevant information with documentation given with charts, diagrams, references to Supreme Court decisions and stories from media sources. Then again maybe that is just my bias because of what information was included and what was omitted. Everything was clear and easy to find, including graphics, charts, and figures. There are some lapses here. The information in several chapters, like the chapters pertaining to the institutions, provide for an in-depth analysis. This means that our government is elected by citizens. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. The discussion of the Civil Liberties issues in Chapter 4 were particularly well chosen, to the point, and engaging. I see no sign of bias or editorial spin from the authors. It would be useful to have the endnotes at the end of the chapters. This is a welcome inclusion: Although most Americans interact far I certainly will moving forward. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. You can use that resource if you would . I believe that modularity is one of the strengths of this text. The 2020 census will alter the reapportionment section on Congress and the Electoral College. United States Government: Our Democracy 2018. It avoids jargon and does a very good job clearly defining terms. Great examples, engaging stories, and clever interactive readings; the textbook would be relevant to most community college students today. The book is actually slightly longer and denser than other texts I have assigned for an introductory course in American government. There certainly is enough relevant and timely material to assign a chapter per week for the one semester Intro type class, especially when combined with the supplementary material noted above. This has become such an important issue. The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. Reviewed by Shawn Osborne, Instructor, Portland Community College on 8/21/16, As an introduction to American Government, the text covers the areas and ideas of the subject at a very comprehensive level. The textbook is error-free and unbiased. I made significant checks throughout the textbook and found it to accurate in the information provided. The book is accurate and error-free. The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Digital, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Digital, 6-year subscription (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print and Digital, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print and Digital, 6-year subscription (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Lesson Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite, 6-year subscription. I saw no problems here. They provide both classic and current concepts throughout the textbook. This isn't physics, it's politics. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. However, this text would need to be updated after all national elections (mid-term and presidential). I think that's important to show that most of the world's nations do operate with a democratic framework. This is a positive choice as it provides students with some knowledge of state and local government without usurping the information that is taught in a state and local government class. However, chapters are sometimes questionably or confusingly organized, and compress wider subjects that usually receive broader treatment into footnotes or brief passages. It incorporates an impressive amount of historical references to add context and depth. Chapters are structured in reasonable ways. This item: United States Government; Our Democracy, c 2018, 9780076681136, 0076681130. by McGraw-Hill Education Paperback . PDF EBOOK United States Government Democracy In Action. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. One of many things I like about this textbook is that it is well organized throughout. The endnotes are difficult to follow. These hyperlinks will distract the reader. You can use that resource if you would prefer, but you're responsible for locating the correct excerpts. As a teacher of history also, I especially look for historical accuracy. 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. It follows the standard layout of American Government textbooks and offers an effective and easily searchable index. Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. In fact. Journalism, Media Studies & Communications, Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement, Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins, Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion. Might be using this text in the spring of 2020, Reviewed by Amedee George, Professor, SUNO on 4/23/19, The chapters in the Kurtz et al e-book covers all relevant chapters of American Government and even offers chapters on Foreign policy, Domestic policy and State and Local government. These will not significantly modify the content of the text, so you should be alright either way. There is a good selections of "photographs.". I would teach the course with Part 1 first, the Part 4 and Chapter 15, then Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. Useful explanation with visual of common goods & excludability; unitary, federation and confederation; contents/concepts of Constitutional amendments. Although overall the text is quite comprehensive, one downside is that there are only two chapters on policy (separated into Domestic and Foreign Policy). Have questions? These definitions are located at the end of the chapter, which is not entirely user-friendly but understandable given the format of the text. The text is easily navigated and free of any significant interface issues. United States Government Our Democracy View larger image. It means "rule by the people" or "sovereignty of the people". Download Here pdfsdocuments2 com. You have a solid editing staff doing well to ensure a good syntax throughout the book. Learning goals are explicit and each chapter has a clear structure and consistent features that carry throughout the chapters. The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. 35. I will likely use this book to replace and supplement my graduate level course materials. Identify politics should be present in more sections of the text. For example, if an instructor wanted to cover formal institutions prior to individual agency and action or mediating institutions, it would not be difficult to do so using this text. First, on page 15, in Figure 1.6, is a map illustrating different forms of government throughout the world. This is not, however, a reason not to use the book as currently written and hope that it is appropriately updated in the years ahead. The text is consistent in terms of language, organization, and overall framework. It is a well planned and logical progression of chapters and topics. The chapter on Congress should also be updated and with data from 2016 and 2018. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. PO 4 Instructors planning on using this book may want to request access to the instructor resources very early to avoid issues. The text is free from interface issues as it was easy to read and navigate, and the graphics displayed properly. This text had no major interface issues. The index is thorough and easily navigable with direct links to the relevant section of the text in which the key term is discussed. However, the concepts are so strong here (thorough, well laid out) that an instructor could easily supplement the text for a variety of courses and levels. Overall, this is a good text that seems to be accessible for student learning. My least favorite chapter concerns Federalism (3), not because of the topic but I just think that chapter is not as informative as others. Learning objectives are clearly identified for each unit, and each unit concludes with a concise summary of main points followed by multiple-choice and short answer questions. This may just be me, but I take issue with this statement from page 9, "Democracy and capitalism do not have to go hand in hand." I do think you have to have a free market to have democracy, although it might be a regulated market. For instance, the many examples of LGBTQ issues like marriage was well documented and current through recent case law like Masterpiece Cakeshop. The chapter on civil rights includes sections on African Americans, women, native Americans, Alaskans, Hawaiians and the LGBTQ community. American Government and Civic Engagement, entire unmodified textbook can be accessed here on OpenStax, SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway), "Slave Streets, Free Streets" - Virtual Tour of Baltimore, c. 1815, World War I: Why Young Men Wanted to Go To War. TEXT: United States Government: Democracy in Action US GOVERNMENT COURSE CALENDAR 2014 - 2015: Unit 1: Foundations of American Government August 19 - September 10 In this Unit: Exploring the Big Ideas Resources & Activities Chapter 1: People and Government. However domestic and foreign policy are rushed at the end while lobbyists and other peripheral topics enjoy a more central position. The text was easily navigable and the Index, search function, and drop-down menus in the Table of Contents functioned seamlessly. Reviewed by Nicholas Goedert, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech on 6/20/17, The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. 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. My issue is that the map doesn't show differences among those democracies (e.g., parliamentary, presidential, etc.). The clearer organization is a benefit to undergraduate students who may be taking the course as a required course. And sections on the actually branches of government come near the end. Offers coverage of topics that most instructors would cover in such a class, including political behavior, civil rights/liberties, American political culture, and structure. 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. . The text is consistent in its use of terminology. The text is suitably consistent even though there are many chapter authors. United States Government: Our Democracy Textbook U. S. Government: Democracy In Action - McGraw Hill Education I liked this feature very much. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. The previous comment represents a slight stylistic concern in the area of organization, but not a major one. The text makes the content more relevant to students by providing opportunities to analyze and interpret charts, data, and graphs to better understand current examples and the applications of the material. This is one of the pluses of this text. 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). But as I noted above, the unhelpfulness of bolded terms can be genuinely confusing and are inconsistent (Katie Holmes gets bolded? Some of this material is bound to become somewhat out-of-date in the relatively near term, but it appears to authors are releasing new editions of the book with updated information quite frequently, so this is less of concern to me than with other texts on this subject. The reader benefits from content that is organized in a fashion that is both comprehensible and predictable. The text covers the full range of standard American Government textbooks, from government and civic engagement, to civil liberties and rights to branches of government and foreign policy. The introduction and the summaries are useful starting and ending points for the reader and the addition of thoughtful critical thinking questions plus the keyword pages are another useful addition to the work. It is difficult to be so comprehensive and not lose the forest for the trees at times. The United States Government Manual. Its designed with the C3 Framework for social studies in mind. Very well done. Well-regarded global democracy indexessuch as Freedom House, 2 Varieties of Democracy, 3 and the Economist Intelligence Unit 4all show an erosion of American democracy since 2016. American Government 3ealigns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. I do think that some modules could be combined, but for the most part the author accomplishes this well. I found the insertion of bold links in the middle of the text rather distracting. The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. 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. However, after assigning the questions, I found that the 'full online' version has the review questions INTEGRATED into the text (scattered in the chapter) AND provides ANSWERS to them. As I have shared, I suggest fewer "Note" features within the already long paragraphs of content, and in fact a tightening as well of the length of the reading text. The internal structure of individuals chapters is clear and logical. 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. 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. The text's consistency is quite strong in that it provides a comprehensible, conceptual framework and predictably organized units, chapters, and sections for the study of American government and politics. Clear organization led to clarity of content. 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. If the candidate fails to achieve 270 votes, then the election is sent to the House of Representatives. The text can easily be divided into modules. Introduction, Consitution, Federalism, Civil Rights and Liberties, Parties and Ideology, Opinion and Media, Congress, President, Courts, state and local, and International Affairs. This textbook is very clear and straightforward. Teach Me Economics. I also don't perceive any bias. First President of the United States. The book leans more towards describing American government than explaining it, which may be fine for many instructors, especially for an introductory course. Generally speaking, I think this textbook does as good a job at this as any other good textbook. Have used it this semester in 2 sections of my intro Am Gov class with no student complaints. This text will only need updates in the area of the presidency, public policy, and possibly elections. Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s) Expansion and Reform (1801-1861) Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900) The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930) The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945) For example, the section on ideology equates authoritarianism with the right side of the political spectrum, even though authoritarianism as a ruling style can also be commonly found in communist or socialist polities; students might be led to conclude that communists and socialists aren't about control. }
The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. There are currently no items in your shopping cart. I note there is a link to the homepage of those repositories in the text. The formatting of the text throughout is excellent. This book uses clear language and of-the-moment context that brings the idea of government to life. 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.