American Government ─ Political Development and Institutional Change

"An introductory American government textbook should do more than simply tell students that politics is relevant today, that it will affect their lives in meaningful ways. Students are best prepared to recognize this basic fact when they understand the bigger picture of how the system works, how it got that way, and what are the possibilities for change. Cal Jillson's American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change shows students how the nation's past is present in all aspects of contemporary politics, using the dynamics of change as a tool to understand how politics works and how institutions, systems, avenues of participation, and policies have evolved over time to produce today's political environment in the United States. Going one step further, Jillson identifies the critical question of how American democracy might evolve further, focusing in every chapter on reform and change into the future"--

Cal Jillson is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Southern Methodist University. His recent books includeLone Star Tarnished: A Critical Look at Texas Politics and Public Policy; Texas Politics: Governing the Lone Star State; Pursuing the American Dream: Opportunity and Exclusion Over Four Centuries;Pathways to Democracy: The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions; andThe Dynamics of American Politics. Jillson is a frequent media commentator on Texas and national politics.