American Society And Politics: Institutional, Historical, and Theoretical Perspectives

by Theda Skocpol (Editor)

American Society and Politics is an edited collection of readings offering a unique combination of institutional, historical, and theoretical perspectives on U.S. political institutions and public policymaking, and on the social groups and movements that have participated in modern American national politics. Cutting across disciplinary boundaries, this volume brings together important articles by prominent political sociologists, political scientists, and historians. It may be used as a primary or supplementary text for advanced undergraduates or entry-level graduate students in departments of sociology, political science and history. Articles are arranged into four Thinking About Politics in the Unites States and Beyond; The Development of the National Policy; contemporary Movements for Social and Political Change; and The Politics of Public Policymaking. The editors introduce each group of readings with a thoughtful essay. These introductions orient students to the key themes and issues, alert them to explicit or implicit debates among the articles in that section, and point out connections among articles across the various sections.

544 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Theda Skocpol is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University and the Director of the Scholars Strategy Network. She is a past president of the American Political Science Association.