Westview Press
American constitutional law; v.2: The Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, 8th ed.
Rossum (American constitutionalism, Claremont McKenna College) and Tarr (political science, Rutgers U.) present the second volume of their two-volume basic text for an introductory course in American constitutional law and civil liberties. The first volume covered the main body of the document and this volume focuses the amendments, particularly the Bill of Rights. Their text includes substantial excerpts from Supreme Court cases, emphasizing precedent setting cases, as well as alternative constitutional positions found in dissenting opinions; incorporates documentary evidence concerning the thoughts of those who wrote the amendments; and includes materials from lower federal courts, state judiciaries, and nonjudicial materials of constitutional significance such as certain congressional acts and resolutions and executive orders. Eleven chapters discuss interpretation of the constitution; constitutional adjudication; rights under the constitution; economic due process and the Takings Clause; freedom of speech, press, and association; freedom of religion; criminal procedure; the Equal Protection Clause and racial discrimination; substantive social protection; and the right to privacy. A copy of the Constitution is of course included, as are a glossary of common legal terms, a table of cases, and a list of Supreme Court Justices with dates of tenure. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
American constitutional law; v.1: The structure of government, 8th ed.
In this textbook meant for courses in constitutional law and civil liberties, Rossum (American constitutionalism, Claremont McKenna College) and Tarr (political science, Rutgers U., Camden) examine the US Constitution with the aim of showing how its study, along with constitutional law, aids in understanding the principles, prospects, and problems of America. They emphasize precedent-setting cases and alternative constitutional positions, and the original purposes of the Constitution as set by those who drafted it. They include interpretations of it by different sources such as the Supreme Court, and concurring and dissenting opinions. This edition focuses on federal rights and powers and has six new cases, including Boumediene v. Bush, Medellin v. Texas, Hein v. Freedom from Religion Foundation, and Plains Commerce Bank v. Long Family Land and Cattle Company. The volume is the first in a two-volume set. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Campaigns and elections American style, 3d ed.
Editors Thurber and Nelson (government, American U.) have enlisted the help of noted political scientists and campaign professionals to produce this textbook on campaign theory and research, giving students and scholars a balanced review of Democratic, Republican, male, female, academic and practitioner perspectives. Now in its third edition, this volume has been expanded to include new essays on the Internet, social networking and survey directly related to the 2006 and 2008 elections. Other topics include the creation of a winning campaign strategy, campaign ethics in a changing world and media coverage of general elections. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
"Can we all get along?"; racial and ethnic minorities in American politics, 5th ed.
McClain (political science, law, African-American studies and public policy, Duke U.) and Stewart (political science, Clemson U.) deliver the fifth edition of their textbook on racial and ethnic minorities, providing students and scholars with revised content that reflects the results of the 2008 presidential election. The authors analyze Constitutional theory, political behavior and institutions as they relate to African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and Native Americans and demonstrate the differences between political action and experience in each group. Other topics include partisan identification, minority representation, affirmative action and interminority group relations and coalitions. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Comparing Asian politics; India, China, and Japan, 3d ed.
Charlton (political science, Colorado State U.) has revised the third edition of this textbook on the comparative politics and governments of India, China and Japan to include new information on human rights, the environment, regional security and the theoretical debate between democracy and development. Written for students of comparative politics and international development, this volume covers such topics as the significance of constitutions in the political processes of these three nations, the implementation of parliamentary procedure throughout Asia and the "decay of one-party rule" in the region. The author has also included updated photographs, charts and visual aids that focus on the important elections, movements and events since the last edition. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
A concise history of the Middle East, 9th ed.
Goldschmidt (emeritus, Middle East history, Pennsylvania State U.) and Davidson (history, West Chester U.) present a new edition of their introductory textbook on the history of the Middle East. The narrative essentially begins with the birth of Islam and takes the reader through the invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq by the United States. The focus is on the political history of the region and its relations with the wider world. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Connecting social problems and popular culture; why media is not the answer.
While popular culture receives a lot of attention as a central causal factor in contemporary social problems, Sternheimer (sociology, U. of Southern California) argues that in reality, although media does impact society, there are many more important factors contributing to America's serious social problems today. The author examines the history of media fears, who constructs media — and youth — phobia and why, and then analyzes a number of social problems — the dumbing down of America, family instability, violence, teen sex, teen pregnancy and single parenthood, the rising materialism of youth, eating disorders, substance abuse, misogyny, homophobia, and racism — and their causes. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Critical inquiry; the process of argument.
In this revised edition of The Process of Argument (1988), Boylan (philosophy, Marymount U., Arlington, Virginia) illustrates how to employ inducive, deductive and other reasoning tools in pro and con arguments through numerous updated examples. The concise text includes exercises on critically reading and responding to media claims (including "phishing" e-mails), appended information on micro- and macro-arguments, and a glossary. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Doing gender diversity; readings in theory and real-world experience.
Plante (sociology, Ithaca College) and Maurer (founding coordinator of The Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Education, Outreach, and Services at Ithaca College) present a course anthology that, rather than examine the relation of gender to some particular social institution, focuses on gender itself, i.e. "how gender operates socioculturally, exists, functions, and is presented in micro and macro interactions." The 48 readings presented are organized into chapters addressing gender diversity and the binary, the "doing" or "enacting" of gender, constructing the gendered body, gender and sexualities, gender diversity at home and at work, gender and critical thinking about structures and institutions, and gender and social change. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Essential criminology, 3d ed.
The third edition of this textbook for criminology students has been revised to include new information on the "crime prism," boxed readings by international theorists and six fundamental world changes that influence modern thought about crime. Lanier (criminal justice, U. of Central Florida) and Henry (criminal justice, San Diego State U.) use case studies and real-world examples to illustrate theories that analyze the biological, psychological and social causes of criminal behavior. The authors also present "new directions" in criminal behavior that consider such topics as gender influences, restorative justice and capitalistic theories on crime. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Global gender issues in the new millennium, 3d ed.
Written by Peterson (political science, U. of Arizona) and Runyan (women's, gender, and sexuality studies, U. of Cincinnati), this textbook on global gender issues is reflective of the contemporary feminist international relations scholarship typically found in the pages of the International Feminist Journal of Politics as combined with recent work in transnational feminist inquiry more generally. Chapters address: analyzing world politics through a gendered lens, gender and global governance, gender and global security, gender and global political economy, and gendered resistance politics. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The Iraq war; origins and consequences.
DeFronzo (sociology, U. of Connecticut) offers an analysis of the war in Iraq, for academics and students in political science, history, and sociology courses, and educated general readers. Coverage includes an overview of the culture of Iraq, an examination of the history of Iraq since its formation as a new nation at the end of WWI, the factors and processes that led to the US decision to go to war, the nature of the conflict, the changes that have taken place in Iraq, and the war's local and international consequences. DeFronzo concludes with a discussion of potential alternate futures for the country, and whether the Iraq War can lead to a truly democratic and sovereign Iraq and to the US government avoiding similar mistakes in the future. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Kinship and gender; an introduction, 4th ed.
Stone (emeritus, anthropology, Washington State U.) presents a textbook designed for use in undergraduate courses in kinship, gender, or, as in the case with the anthropology course she taught over a 12-year period, the two combined. She uses kinship as a framework for introducing new ways of understanding cross-cultural variations in gender while emphasizing two dimensions of reproduction: women's sexuality and women's fertility or reproductive capacity. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Mexican history; a primary source reader.
Teachers of Mexican history in Montreal and Utah have assembled a reader for their courses that recognizes the Pre-Columbian and colonial as well as post-industrial periods, that includes essential readings on major events and themes in Mexico's past but also introduces students to lesser-known material and vistas, and give voice to the people who experienced the history themselves. In a chronological arrangement, the 76 documents and images consider indigenous people, state formation, urban life, the northern frontier, popular culture, land and labor, religion, gender, and race and ethnicity. The coverage extends to 2006. No knowledge of Spanish is assumed. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Religion and politics in the Middle East; identity, ideology, institutions, and attitudes.
This is a comparative study of the interaction between the religious and political spheres in the Middle East. Lee (political science, Colorado College) examines the relationship in Egypt, Israel, Turkey, and Iran in terms of group identity, ideology, institutions, and political culture. He concludes that, as independent variable, religion has contributed to political development as much as hindered it, but that religion is far more a dependent value that is shaped by the state context within which it operates. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Social theory; the multicultural and classic readings, 4th ed.
Lemert (sociology, Wesleyan U.) has updated the reader, first published in 1993, which he assembled for students of sociology and related disciplines. Some 100 excerpts are presented in chronological sections, among them Marx and Addams for 1848-1919, Keynes and Fromm for 1919-45, Lévi-Strauss and Fanon for 1945-63, Galbraith and Derrida for 1963-79, Rorty and Henry Louis Gates for 1979-1991/2001, and Immanuel Wallerstein and Edward Said for after 2001. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Southeast Asia in the new international era, 5th ed.
Neher (emeritus political science and Southeast Asian studies, Northern Illinois U.) invited his former student Dayley (international political economy and Asian studies, College of Idaho) to co-author the fifth edition of his textbook, which had last been updated just after September 2001. He has added a chapter on Timor-Leste, the region's newest country; gives more attention to the regional affects of the US war on terrorism, political Islam, and the rise of China; and appended a list of resources to each country chapter to encourage students to delve deeper into topics that particularly interest them. The 11 countries are treated in a uniform format that include a map, institutions and social groups, democratization, economic development, the state, and foreign policy. A chapter also considers the region as a whole, pointing out similarities and variation between the countries. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Southeast Asia; past and present, 6th ed.
The sixth edition of this historic and cultural overview of Southeast Asia has been revised to cover recent events such as the Asian tsunami, terrorism, avian flu, the cyclone Nargis, the monk uprising in Myanmar and the achievements of ASEAN. SarDesai (South and Southeast Asian studies, U. of Southern California) provides students and researchers with the history of European colonial rule throughout the region and details the subsequent nationalist movements in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Chapters are also devoted to domestic problems in each country as well as the impact of globalization in recent years. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
