Here are just a few of the available titles that may help with your research. Search the library catalog for more!
African Americans and the First Amendment by
Explores in detail the relationship between African Americans and our "first freedoms," especially freedom of speech. Shiell utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to demonstrate that a strong commitment to civil liberty and to racial equality are mutually supportive, as they share an opposition to orthodoxy and a commitment to greater inclusion and participation.
Let the Students Speak! by
Details the rich history and growth of the First Amendment in public schools, from the early nineteenth-century's failed student free-expression claims to the development of protection for students by the U.S. Supreme Court. He goes on to discuss the raging free-speech controversies in public schools today, including dress codes and uniforms, cyberbullying, and the regulation of any violent-themed expression in a post-Columbine and Virginia Tech environment.
The Loud Minority: Why Protests Matter in American Democracy by
Drawing on historical evidence, statistical data, and detailed interviews about protest activity since the 1960s, Daniel Gillion shows that electoral districts with protest activity are more likely to see increased voter turnout at the polls.
Gun Control in the United States: a Reference Handbook, 2nd Edition by
Offers concise, understandable coverage of all aspects of the issue, including incidence of gun violence; gun control; gun rights; government regulation, legislation, and court decisions; gun organizations (for gun control and for gun rights); gun enthusiast subcultures--for example, hunters, target shooters, and collectors; and U.S. attitudes toward guns. Many of the covered topics are placed in historical and cross-cultural perspective.
Guns, Democracy, and the Insurrectionist Idea by
Challenging the proposition that more guns equal more freedom, they expose Insurrectionism---not government oppression---as the true threat to freedom in the U.S. today.
Guns, Gun Control, and Elections by
Examines current gun control policy and explains how it was adopted by discussing the roles and interactions of elected officials, interest groups, political parties, and the public. Original research on media coverage and public opinion as well as a chapter on state policy (Virginia) make the book both informative and accessible. The book focuses on the utility of gun policy, and its discussion of policy impact is grounded in real-world politics.
Reducing Gun Violence in America by
Collected for the first time in one volume, this reliable, empirical research and legal analysis will help lawmakers, opinion leaders, and concerned citizens identify policy changes to address mass shootings, along with the less-publicized gun violence that takes an average of 80 lives every day. Includes an analysis of the constitutionality of many recommended policies and data from a national public opinion poll that reflects support among the majority of Americans--including gun owners--for stronger gun policies.
Capital Punishment and Latino Offenders by 
The Many Colors of Crime by
In this authoritative volume, race and ethnicity are themselves considered as central organizing principles in why, how, where and by whom crimes are committed and enforced. The contributors argue that dimensions of race and ethnicity condition the very laws that make certain behaviors criminal, the perception of crime and those who are criminalized, the determination of who becomes a victim of crime under which circumstances, the responses to laws and crime that make some more likely to be defined as criminal, and the ways that individuals and communities are positioned and empowered to respond.
The New Jim Crow by
"In the era of colorblindness, it is no longer socially permissible to use race, explicitly, as a justification for discrimination, exclusion, and social contempt. Yet, as legal star Michelle Alexander reveals, today it is perfectly legal to discriminate against convicted criminals in nearly all the ways that it was once legal to discriminate against African Americans. "
The Politics of Imprisonment by
The attention devoted to the unprecedented levels of imprisonment in the United States obscure an obvious but understudied aspect of criminal justice: there is no consistent punishment policy across the U.S. It is up to individual states to administer their criminal justice systems, and the differences among them are vast. For example, while some states enforce mandatory minimum sentencing, some even implementing harsh and degrading practices, others rely on community sanctions. What accounts for these differences? The Politics of Imprisonment seeks to document and explain variation in America.
American Ideas of Equality by
Describes how the views we hold regarding this fundamental national value developed as products of our cultural history from the origins of the American republic to 2020. It traces how cultural transmission, political and economic structures, and communication technology have shaped this core American value.
Can American Capitalism Survive? by
Pearlstein chronicles our descent and challenges the theories being taught in business schools and exercised in boardrooms around the country. We're missing a key tenet of Adam Smith's wealth of nations: without trust and social capital, democratic capitalism cannot survive.
Race in America by
Every chapter of Race in America examines how racism intersects with other forms of social division--those based on gender, class, sexuality, ability, religion, and nationhood--as well as how whiteness surrounds us in unnamed ways that produce and reproduce a multitude of privileges for white people.
The Many Faces of Strategic Voting by
Provides a conceptual framework for understanding why people vote strategically, and what the differences are between sincere and strategic voting behaviors. Expert contributors explore the many facets of strategic voting through case studies in Great Britain, Spain, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and the European Union.
The Politics of Voter Suppression by
Wang examines the history of how U.S. election reforms have been manipulated for partisan advantage and establishes a new framework for analyzing current laws and policies. The tactics that have been employed to suppress voting in recent elections are not novel, she finds, but rather build upon the strategies used by a variety of actors going back nearly a century and a half.
Recasting the Vote by
Cahill tells the powerful stories of a multiracial group of activists who propelled the national suffrage movement toward a more inclusive vision of equal rights. With these feminists of color in the foreground, Cahill recasts the suffrage movement as an unfinished struggle that extended beyond the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
The Imperfect Primary by
Recognized as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2011!Many people complain about the complex system used to nominate presidents. The system is hardly rational because it was never carefully planned. Because of the dissatisfaction over the idiosyncrasies of the current system, periodic calls arise to reform the presidential nomination process. But how are we to make sense of the myriad complexities in the system as well as in the calls for change?
How the Word Is Passed by
Examines the legacy of slavery in America--and how both history and memory continue to shape our everyday lives. Illustrates how some of our country's most essential stories are hidden in plain view--whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women, and children has been deeply imprinted.
The Impact of Slavery in America by
"Explores the present-day repercussions of slavery on US society, including in housing, education, health care, and the justice system"--Publisher's website.
Lincoln and the Politics of Slavery by
Crofts examines a little-known episode in the most celebrated aspect of Abraham Lincoln's life: his role as the "Great Emancipator." Lincoln always hated slavery, but he also believed it to be legal where it already existed, and he never imagined fighting a war to end it. Crofts unearths the hidden history and political maneuvering behind the stillborn attempt to enact this amendment, the polar opposite of the actual Thirteenth Amendment of 1865 that ended slavery.
Stamped from the Beginning by
"Americans like to insist that we are living in a postracial, color-blind society. In fact, racist thought is alive and well; it has simply become more sophisticated and more insidious. And as award-winning historian Ibram X. Kendi argues in Stamped from the Beginning, racist ideas in this country have a long and lingering history, one in which nearly every great American thinker is complicit."
American Government: Congress by
Congress has a specific role in U.S. government. But what is it? How does it work? And how can teens get involved when they can't even vote? This handbook illustrates all aspects of the lawmaking branch.
American Government: Political Parties by
Political Parties are not mentioned in the Constitution. How did they come about? Why are they important? This handbook examines the two-party system in the U.S. and how it evolved.
American Government: Supreme Court by
The Supreme Court is the highest judicial court in the U.S. It has the final say on whether laws violate the Constitution. This handbook defines the role of the court and how it is essential to the rule of law.
Encyclopedia of the United States Constitution by
An A to Z presentation of facts and information about the American Constitution, including people, doctrinal concepts of the laws, judicial decisions, public acts, and historical periods.
The Executive Branch by
This book focuses primarily on the president's role in government and the choices and considerations afforded by this position, such as the formation of a cabinet and the power to create executive orders. By illuminating both high and low points in this historic position, the reader gains a sense of the intricacies of this nation's system of checks and balances, and how differences in style have influenced the direction of history. By featuring the stories of the women and men surrounding the president, this book creates a well-rounded depiction of this branch of the U.S. government.
The Judicial Branch by
While the Supreme Court is certainly a beacon of the judiciary system, it is not the only element in this branch of the U.S. government. In this text, the reader is immersed into the judicial branch at all levels, including state and circuit courts, courts of appeals, and their individual functions. By honing in on some of the pivotal cases tried by the judicial branch in the United States, such as Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, this book establishes the worth and importance of judges, juries, and lawyers to our nation's past and present.
The Legislative Branch by
At first glance, Congress may appear to be the most intricate element of the U.S. government's system of checks and balances. It involves both the Senate and House of Representatives, both of which have completely different rules for formation, and can create crippling stalemates in the passage of bills and laws through the highest hands in government. Your readers will untangle the mysteries that shadow this branch, learning about the two houses of Congress individually, and exploring examples of their capabilities when working together, and in opposition.
The Living Constitution by
Strauss explores how judicial decisions adapted the Constitution's text (and contradicted original intent) to produce some of our most profound accomplishments: the end of racial segregation, the expansion of women's rights, and the freedom of speech. By contrast, originalism suffers from fatal flaws: the impossibility of truly divining original intent, the difficulty of adapting eighteenth-century understandings to the modern world, and the pointlessness of chaining ourselves to decisions made centuries ago.
A Pocket Guide to the US Constitution : What Every American Needs to Know by
Arnold provides concise explanations of the Constitution's meaning and history, offering little-known facts and anecdotes about every article and all twenty-seven amendments. This handy guide won't tell you what the Constitution ought to say, nor what it ought to mean. It will tell you what the Constitution says and what it has meant. Can be used to comprehend current events, dig deeper into court cases, or sort out your own opinions on constitutional issues.
The U. S. Constitution and Fascinating Facts about It by
Talks about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights the Declaration of Independence and more. This book also presents insights into the men who wrote the Constitution, how it was created, and how the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution in the two centuries since its creation.
We the People by
Sets a new standard for showing how government affects students lives and why it matters who participates. The Who Are Americans? theme has been expanded to highlight how Americans from different backgrounds experience politics, and new Who Participates? infographics get students thinking critically about who shapes American politics.