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American Democracy in Context

If this is the only course your students take in political science, it should matter. Put American politics in context for your students. America’s version of democracy is distinctive in some respects but also similar to others around the world. We can better understand the American version of democracy by comparing it with democratic practices elsewhere and by better understanding historically how it has become the way it is today. These two contexts will inspire students to develop a deeper and broader understanding of American practices and American institutions.

Perspective

These chapter-opening vignettes set the stage for the rest of the chapter discussion and help students see political connections by comparing a historical moment, current event, or policy in the United States to that of another country. For instance, students can picture how it would be to live in a country such as Canada that has short national election campaigns—about two and a half months from start to finish.

Picture Yourself …

Students are invited to consider what it would be like to experience some aspect of the political system of another country or of the U.S. at another period of time or from a particular vantage point in order to fully understand and appreciate that aspect of government in the United States. Students can imagine, for example, being a citizen of Venezuela trying to figure out what to do when there are two persons claiming to be the lawful president.

Consequences for Democracy

These chapter-ending sections pull together the historical and comparative perspectives that help students understand the distinctive features of American politics as well as the common features of democracy. For example, U.S. political parties are more decentralized than those in many other nations—partly because of our electoral system and partly because of a long history of party reform, starting with the Progressive Movement—making it more difficult for Congress to take action on social and economic problems.

Digital Resources

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