The Electoral Challenge: Theory Meets Practice

by Craig B

If most elections are decided by forces beyond anyone's immediate control--whether it's national economic conditions or voters' longstanding partisan attachments--do campaigns really matter? Scholars and political consultants will give you different answers. While scholars insist that consultants operate by the seat of their pants, promoting the latest folk wisdom about which strategies and tactics work, not knowing one way or the other until it's too late, consultants claim that the academics tell us what they already know, or if not, their studies are simply wrong. So, who is right? Stephen Craig takes up the challenge and brings together the voices and ideas of both groups in this engaging and innovative volume. He aims to determine what we know and do not know--based on empirical, rather than anecdotal, evidence--about the factors that determine election outcomes. While the backdrop is academic, the focus is why do some candidates win and others lose on election day? Each chapter contains an essay from a top scholar in the field, followed in most cases by a response from the political consultants so students actually interact with this discourse. By including the views and experiences of both groups, the result is a dialogue from very different, yet complementary perspectives, on how campaigns matter.

238 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2004

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for the political beginner or intermediate. This book provides a combination of academia and real-world application with insight from both sides on numerous issues within the political arena. Some of those issues include consulting, finance, marketing, and even scandals. This book does a wonderful job of balancing trends and terminology that are a part of the politico dialect, with brief explanations for those readers who may be less familiar with some of the material. Overall, a good and relatively recent read for those who want to explore more depth inside the political sphere.