Readings in American Government

Readings in American Government provides a wide array of material on the fundamental themes of American political life.  Teachers will enjoy having a single volume, which combines more than 100 readings from both primary and secondary sources.  Students will benefit from the introductory essays at the beginning of each chapter, which analyze the readings and explain the major themes of the chapter.  This volume encourages professors and students to engage with timeless questions and issues facing the American regime, including:

• The American regime's fundamental political commitments
• The relationship between majority rule and the rights of minorities
• The tension between individualism and community
• Separation of powers and the role of political institutions
• Presidential leadership and presidential rhetoric
• The role of political parties and the potential for reforming them today
• Constitutional interpretation
• Economics and the appropriate extent of government involvement in the economy
• The purposes and principles of American foreign policy
• The maintenance of liberty and equality in the United States

Readings in American Government has been updated to address contemporary issues such as populism and the Trump Administration, modern political rhetoric, reforming Congress, and the "Green New Deal.