In this highly anticipated revision, editors Barbara Norrander and Clyde Wilcox expose students to the substance and process of public opinion research in an accessible way. Capturing the diversity of this research with 12 essays-10 new to this edition and 2 fully updated-well-respected contributors highlight the many approaches social scientists use to explore public opinion while citing actual research and teasing out the political implications of their findings. Understanding Public Opinion expands on important ideas that basic textbooks cover only briefly, such as public views of those on trial for terrorist acts, public attitudes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the rise and fall of public support for George W. Bush. Part introductions provide important thematic context, and a statistics primer in the appendix offers students a handy reference. More relevant and thought-provoking than ever, Understanding Public Opinion is the ideal supplement for any public opinion course.
The Christian Right never ceases to surprise professional observers of American politics. With the Christian coalition in disarray, many expected that the movement would play less of a role in the 2004 elections. This title provides an assessment of the role of the religious right in 2004.
The Christian Right never ceases to surprise professional observers of American politics. With the Christian coalition in disarray, many expected that the movement would play less of a role in the 2004 elections. This title provides an assessment of the role of the religious right in 2004.
Electioneering, Lobbying, and Policymaking in Washington
With Congress more partisan than ever, the White House eager to mobilize group support, the appropriations process in ?ux, and important interest group litigation in the courts, this volume con?rms that navigating the complex world of inside-the-beltway politics is especially tricky. For interest groups, the name of the game is access. The Interest Group Connection's twenty chapters show how organized interests gain that access in Washington. Brief and accessible readings explore the connections between lobbyists' in?uence and American policymaking institutions and processes, as well as the crucial role interest groups play in organizing constituencies, protecting their rights, and giving them entree into the political process. Given the current environment-new campaign ?nance laws, the prevalence of "527" committees, and a near-even electoral environment-the second edition provides an inside look at a changed political world.
The Clinton scandal consumed the better part of a year of American public life, bitterly dividing the nation and culminating in a constitutional crisis. This book explores the long-reaching constitutional and political implications of the scandal: how it will affect the presidency, the law, and the political process.
From the first rumblings of the Moral Majority in the 1980s, the Christian Right has been marshalling its forces in an effort to re-shape the landscape of American politics. This work makes an historical analysis of the Christian Right in state politics during its heyday, 1980 to the millennium.
Presenting case studies from sixteen countries on five continents, this title paints a portrait of a complex and paradoxical institution whose political role has varied historically and geographically.
Presenting case studies from sixteen countries on five continents, this title paints a portrait of a complex and paradoxical institution whose political role has varied historically and geographically.
In the wake of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, the Christian Right expected major victories in the 1998 elections. Instead, many of its allies lost close contests, and the movement was seen as a liability in some high-profile campaigns. This book analyzes the role of the movement in fourteen key states, from Maine to California.
