Congressional Travels: Places, Connections, and Authenticity

by Richard F. Fenno Jr.

A follow up book to his classic Home House Members in their Districts , this new book by the preeminent legislative studies scholar, Dick Fenno, is intended for use in courses on Congress, political campaigning, and American government. Written in Fenno’s “homespun” story-telling style, this book argues that authenticity – knowing what a representative is like in his/her district and looking beyond mere roll call voting – contributes significantly to understanding the full body of work done by our members of Congress. It further posits, by recounting Fenno’s actual life’s work, that the best way to gain a sense of authenticity is to do what Fenno is most famous for – i.e., making multiple trips and spending a great deal of time observing representatives at home, with their constituents, in their districts. The book is an engaging, quietly provocative, and unique title that offers an alternative to what some consider the increasingly specialized and technical nature of political science

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2006

About the author

Richard Francis Fenno Jr. was an American political scientist known for his pioneering work on the U.S. Congress and its members. He was Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester. He published numerous books and scholarly articles focused on how members of Congress interacted with each other, with committees, and with constituents. Political scientists considered the research groundbreaking and startlingly original and gave him numerous awards. Many followed his research design on how to follow members from Washington back to their home districts. Fenno was best known for identifying the tendency — dubbed "Fenno’s Paradox" — of how most voters say they dislike Congress as a whole, but they trust and reelect their local Congressperson.--Wikipedia

Reviews

[Daniel Goff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about the representative/constituent realation