A Novel Approach to Politics: Introducing Political Science Through Books, Movies, and Popular Culture

by Douglas A. Van Belle, Kenneth M. Mash

Students often complain that textbooks are boring, especially the door-stoppers in use for most survey courses. But they've never had a textbook like this. Just ask adopters of the first edition who are thanking Novel Approach for some of their best student evaluations to date.

Van Belle and Mash deliver the core concepts and real-world political examples you expect from an introductory book, just in a way that your students will actually have fun reading and will retain after the exam. With enlightening, yet entertaining, references ranging from 1984 to The Dark Knight, students take away more from discussions of institutions, ideology, and economics because concepts are introduced using popular culture. Revisions to the second edition, in addition to a wealth of new and recent movies and books, include new features on major political theorists and expanded stand-alone institutional chapters on the legislature and the executive.

Never fear--the textbook stuff is here too--chapter summaries, bolded key terms, and discussion questions.

Genres: Politics, Textbooks

464 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Dewey Decimal Depressive · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why didn't I like this book? Here's a tidy list of reasons.

The author:
1. Wastes reams of paper and hours of students' time weaving in digressive justifications for his masturbatory writing style.
2. Distracts from and, in some cases, obfuscates otherwise straightforward definitions with tasteless chestnuts and esoteric screen references
3. Is so self-indulgent that he feels the need to clutter every page with extraneous footnotes where he can make abortive attempt after abortive attempt at eliciting laughter with his artless jokes.

If you are a professor considering the use of this textbook, you would do well to avoid it.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though I like the course this textbook came with, I did not like the textbook. The information presented in the text was redundant at times, it jumped at points too. The author would be making a point then try to use levity to help make it and it just did not work. I would have preferred a straight forward textbook for this class.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to read this for a college class. I hated every second of reading it. The author tries to be funny and relevant by discussing politics through movies and television series. The book is 3x as long as it should be because of unnecessary crap about films and television. It is not stimulating and is the most boring book I have ever read. In addition, the author is a Democrat, given his unnecessary amount of hating on Republicans throughout the book. So it is frustrating that an intro to poli sci book has to be so partisan. Lastly, things like "democracy had suddenly turned into a drunken teenager trying to get into someone's pants on spring break" are extremely unwarranted and should have no place in the book (page 207). Spare yourself the waste of time and don't read. Also, if you are a professor, don't make your students read this awful piece of writing.

[Sarah]

Never read, donated

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

hands down best textbook I ever read.

[Amanda Stewlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this textbook, even if you're not taking the class or remotely interested in political science. The author was a RIOT. He used movies, television shows and popular culture to help describe and illustrate his various points and topics in the political science realm. I absorbed so much knowledge from this textbook because I actually enjoyed reading it.

[Hakija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fun book. This book is very enjoyable to read.