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The Logic of American Politics, 4th Edition
The logic of American politics? Are those snickers from your students as they deride the phrase an oxymoron? By helping them see that political institutions and practices are imperfect solutions to collective action problems, distinguished scholars Samuel Kernell and Gary C. Jacobson—and new coauthor Thad Kousser—reveal a rationale to the U.S. political system and give students a window through which they can not only view American politics but also come to understand it. Known for its engaging narrative, the book’s new edition continues to weave historical context, current politics, and analytic concepts into a text that gently strengthens students’ theoretical understanding while hooking them with great storytelling. In order to make the argument fully accessible to a student audience, the new edition highlights passages that apply the collective action and institutional design themes presented in the introduction.
The fourth edition has been revised and updated throughout, and will include full coverage of the 2008 elections. . . for more on Logic, including new revisions and student and instructor resources, click here.
Principles and Practice of American Politics: Classic and Contemporary Readings, 3rd Edition
Without ever losing sight of the classics, Kernell and Smith take a fresh look at the implications of political science for our understanding of recent events and trends. This balance of the classic with the contemporary—along with careful editing to retain the flow of original pieces—distinguishes this highly regarded reader. Drawing from a variety of sources and perspectives, readings examine the strategic behavior of key players in American politics. These 44 selections show that political actors, though motivated by their own interests, are governed by the Constitution, the law, and institutional rules, as well as influenced by the strategies of others. Click here to find out more about the Principles and Practice, 3rd Edition.
Bio(s)
Samuel Kernell, University of California, San Diego
Samuel Kernell is professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, where he has taught since 1977. Previously, he taught at the University of Mississippi and the University of Minnesota. Kernell’s research interests focus on the presidency and American political history. His books include Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership, 4th edition, Principles and Practice of American Politics: Classic and Contemporary Readings, 3rd edition (edited with Steven S. Smith), an edited collection of essays, James Madison: The Theory and Practice of Republican Government, and, with Gary C. Jacobson, The Logic of American Politics, 3rd edition and Strategy and Choice in Congressional Elections, 2nd edition.
Gary C. Jacobson, University of California, San Diego
Gary C. Jacobson is professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, where he has taught since 1979. He previously taught at Trinity College, the University of California at Riverside, Yale University, and Stanford University. Jacobson specializes in the study of U.S. elections, parties, interest groups, and Congress. He is the author of Money in Congressional Elections, The Politics of Congressional Elections, 6th edition, and The Electoral Origins of Dividend Government: Competition in the U.S.House Elections, 1946-1988, and is coauthor with Samuel Kernell of Strategy and Choice in Congressional Elections, 2nd edition. Jacobson is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Thad Kousser, University of California, San Diego
Steven S. Smith, Washington University, St. Louis
Steven S. Smith is professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and George Washington University and has served as a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. His research interests include American politics, congressional politics, Russian politics, positive theories of politics, and theories of institutional development. He is author or coauthor of Politics or Principle: Filibustering in the United States (1997), Committees in Congress, 3e (1997), The American Congress (1995), Call to Order: Floor Politics in the House and Senate (1989), Managing Uncertainty in the House of Representatives (1988), and The Politics of Institutional Choice: The Formation of the Russian State Duma (forthcoming).
