Texas is in a bit of a dilemma—it is a rapidly growing state saddled with a constitution that was written by conservative farmers in 1876. Texas’s government struggles to meet the needs of an increasingly diversified population and the challenges of an economy driven by large multi-national corporations, many on the cutting edge of the information age. How has Texas developed and flourished over the years, but failed to fully respond to these changes?
Lone Star Politics explicitly focuses on the disconnect between the outsized myth of Texas with its legendary political history and the reality of the state’s day-to-day governance to help explain who gets what resources and how they are distributed. The engaging and accessible writing style makes this a book that students of all levels will actually want to read. And when they do, they’ll get both description and analysis, a balance of institutions and behavior, as well as comparisons of Texas with other states.
“Texas vs. _______” feature boxes use narrative, tabular data, and critical thinking questions to show how Texas works differently from the rest of the country, while “Texas Legends” boxes show how certain celebrated figures and institutions influence Texans and their identity as well as shape Texas politics today.
The chapter structure fits perfectly with Barbour and Wright’s American Government text, Keeping the Republic. Discounted packages and customized versions are available—please contact us at collegesales@cqpress.com to learn more.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: “Gone to Texas”
2. Texas Constitution
3. The Texas Legislature
4. Executive Branch
5. Texas Courts & Criminal Justice
6. Local Government
7. Participation & Voting
8. Political Parties & Interest Groups
9. Policy
Testimonials
“The opening early history of Texas in Lone Star Politics includes some of the best detail I have ever seen in a Texas politics text. I really enjoyed the comparisons with other states that were provided—they were quite insightful. The political theories were presented in a very descriptive style that should be easy for the student to understand. I look forward to adopting this text.”
- Rick Henderson, Texas State University–San Marcos
Bio(s)
Ken Collier, Stephen F. Austin State University
Ken Collier is associate professor at Stephen F. Austin State University with a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. He has is the author of Between the Branches: The White House Office of Legislative Affairs and is currently conducting research on presidential speechwriting and gubernatorial elections. He has published articles in such journals as White House Studies, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Public Choice, and Social Science Quarterly.
Steven Galatas, Stephen F. Austin State University
Steven Galatas is assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University with a PhD from University of Missouri. He has published articles in Journal of Politics, Public Choice, and Party Politics. His research and teaching concerns comparative elections, voting behavior, and campaign finance.
Julie Harrelson-Stephens, Stephen F. Austin State University
Julie Harrelson-Stephens is assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University with her PhD from the University of North Texas. She is the coeditor of Exploring International Human Rights: Essential Readings (with Rhonda L. Callaway).
Ancillaries
A companion student Web site and a host of ancillary resources (including a test bank and course materials) will save time and effort for both you and your students.
