Politics in States and Communities (11th Edition) - Hardcover

Politics in States and Communities is distinguished by

• Its focus on politics
• Its comparative approach
• Its concern with explanation
• Its interest in policy

Its focus is on conflicts in states and communities and the structures and processes designed to manage conflict. This "conflict management" theme emphasizes the sources and nature of conflict in society, how conflict is carried on, how key decision makers in states and communities act in conflict situations, and how "politicos" emerge and determine "who gets what." The political conflict management theme guides the discussion of formal governmental structures: federalism, state constitutions, parties and primaries, apportionment, legislative organizations, gubernatorial powers, court procedures, nonpartisanship, mayor and manager government, metropolitan government, community power, school boards and superintendents, tax systems, budget making, and so on.

An equally important theme is that states and communities in America play an important role in the political life of the nation. State and local governments do more than merely provide certain services such as education, road building, or fire protection. They also perform. a vital political function by helping to resolve conflicts of interest in American society.

NEW TO THE 11TH EDITION

The Eleventh Edition has been extensively revised owing in large measure to the work of its new co-author, Susan A. MacManus, Collins Professor of Political Science at the University of South Florida. Professor MacManus brings her extensive knowledge and direct experience in state and local government to this volume, especially in the chapters dealing with community political systems, participation in community politics, metropolitan politics, and community power and land use control.

Among the many new topics in this edition: New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's performance in crisis management; how the "States Chose the President, 2000"; "Federalizing Crime" and the demise of the Violence Against Women Act; young versus old in state politics; "ten top" reasons why people stay home on election day; redistricting and "The Map-Making Mess, 2001-2002"; election reform and the "Butterfly Ballot"; the prospects for "Digital Democracy"; "Veteran State Legislators Look at their job"; "Governor Gray Davis Faces a Blackout"; "Grading the States, Management Report Card"; "Drugs in College"; "The Politics of Death Sentences"' suburban "sprawl"; homeowners associations, "Buddies or Bullies?"; "Designin Livable Communities"; "Fur Fight in Beverly Hills"; "Jeb Bush and Racial Politics in Florida"; "Grading the States in Higher Education"; "Is Welfare Reform a Success?"'

Among the popular features that have been revised and retained: "Getting into Politics"; "Are Term Limits a Good Idea?"; "Ward Connerly and the Citizens' Initiative to Ban Affirmative Action"; "Federalism and the Drinking Age"; "Organizing Yom Campaign"; "How to Evade Campaign Finance Laws"; "Jesse `The Body' Ventura... "Informal Rules of the Legislature Game"; "George W. Bush, How He Governed Texas"; "How to Win at the Budget Game"; "Can Punishment Deter Crime?"; "Political Corruption"; "Sexual Harassment"; "Battles Over Abortion"; "The Debate Over School Vouchers"; "How Wall Street Rates Your City".

As in previous editions, special attention has been given to racial and ethnic conflict, including new material on Hispanic population growth and political power:. African American and Hispanic political issues and patterns of participation are discussed in Chapter 1 "Race and Ethnicity" and "The Politics of Immigration"; Chapter 2 "The Politics of State Initiatives" (including efforts to ban affirmative action);; Chapter 4 "Race, Ethnicity and Political Participation" and "Minorities in State Politics"; Chapter 8 "Bureaucracy, Democracy, and Responsiveness"; Chapter 9 "The Politics of Death Sentences"; Chapter 10 "Minorities and Women in Community Politics"; Chapter 11 "The Concentration of Social Problems in the Inner City"; Chapter 16i "Inequality in America". Moreover, Chapter 14 "Politics and Civil Rights" covers a variety of topics including busing and racial balance in schools, affirmative action battles, Hispanic politics, Native Americans and tribal government, Americans with diabetes, gender equality, sexual harassment, and abortion.

Finally, the 11th edition continues the popular feature "Rankings of the States" on topics such as population growth, income and education, Hispanic and African. American populations, reliance on federal aid, voter turnout, women in state legislatures, government spending and employment, crime and law enforcement, executions, abortion rates, educational performance, organizing and financing public schools, poverty and wealth, health care, and tax burdens.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES

This book includes multiple instructional features designed to provide timeliness and relevance, to capture students' attention and interest, to involve students interactively with political questions, and to aid in the study of state and local politics. While the instructional features should aid in teaching state and local politics, the text material is not "dumbed down." It still includes the most important research by scholars in the field, including updates-of this research through 2002.

"Questions to Consider"—Each chapter opens with a set of questions for students to think about as they read through the material. These questions include factual queries as well as opinion surveys, which are deliberately designed to inspire debate. For example, students are asked to consider whether states should deny welfare benefits to illegal aliens or whether they generally favor affirmative action. Many of these interactive questions are also found on our Web site (www.prenhall.com/dye). After students answer the questions on line, they can immediately see how their peers around the country answered the same questions.

"People in Politics"—These features are designed to personalize politics for students, to illustrate to them that the participants in the struggle for power are real people. They discuss where prominent people in politics went to school, how they got started in politics, how their careers developed, and how much power they came to possess. Examples include Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Up Close"—These features illustrate the struggle over who gets what. They range over a wide variety of current political conflicts, such as federalism and the drinking age, state constitutions and the right to bear arms, political corruption, school voucher, and state election laws.

"Rankings of the States"—Comparative analysis is used throughout the text both to describe and to explain differences among states and communities in governmental structure, political processes, and public policy. Through the Rankings of the States boxes, students can observe their own state in relation to all other states.

"Did You Know?"—These features, designed to be both instructive and entertaining, inform students about various aspects of American states and communities—everything from state birds, songs, flowers, and nicknames to ratings for the "most livable" states and most crime-ridden cities.

Chapter Pedagogy—Each chapter contains a running glossary in the margin and Web information designed to help students better master the information as they read and review the chapters. the same questions.

SUPPLEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR

• Instructor's Manual with Test Item File. For each chapter, lecture suggestions, topic outlines, and additional resource material are provided. The thoroughly reviewed and revised test file includes questions in multiple choice, true/false, and essay format.
• Prentice Hall Custom Test. A computerized test bank contains the items from the Test Item File. The program allows full editing of questions and the addition of instructor-generated items. Available in Windows, DOS, and Macintosh versions.
• Telephone Test Preparation Service. With one call to our toll-free 800 number, you can have Prentice Hall prepare tests with up to 200 questions chosen from the Test Item File. Within 48 hours of your request, you will receive a personalized exam with answer key.

SUPPLEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR THE STUDENT

Political Science: Evaluating Online Resources (ISBN 0-13-049631-6) This brief guide introduces students to the origin and innovations behind the Internet and provides clear strategies for navigating the complexity of the Internet and World Wide Web. Exercises in each chapter allow students to practice searching for the myriad of resources available to the student of political science, now include free access to Content Select. This 100-page supplementary book is free to students when purchased as a package with Politics in States and Communities, 11th Edition.

Prentice Hall Authors Speak Out: September 11th and Beyond. This booklet contains essays by some of Prentice Hall's most well-known authors in response to the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11. The articles are brief and written to provoke thoughtful discussion. They are not "research-oriented" but rather conversational in tone, and many include opinions based on the author's particular point-of-view.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are deeply indebted to the research scholars whose labors produced the insight and understanding that we try to convey to our readers. This text contains more than 500 research citations relevant to state and local politics in America. Hundreds of scholars have contributed to this impressive body of l...