American Government: Roots and Reform: 2012 Election Edition

Understand American politics from past to present

American Government: Roots and Reform, 2012 Election Edition explores how the origins of American government affect the issues facing the United States today.  This bestselling text offers the strongest coverage of history and current events.  This approach encourages students to study present political structures and behaviors in full constitutional and historical context. The text helps students learn how our government evolved and how they can become more informed citizens.  Most importantly, it encourages them to discover that politics can be–and most often is–a good thing.

This text features full integration with the New MyPoliSciLab.  MyPoliSciLab includes a wide array of resources to encourage students to look at American politics like a political scientist and analyze current political issues.  Political Explorer lets students play the role of a political scientist by investigating issues through interactive data.  Core Concept videos discuss the big ideas in each chapter and apply them to key political issues. Simulations allow students to experience how political leaders make decisions.

A better teaching and learning experience

This program provides a better teaching and learning experience–for you and your students. Here’s how:

• Personalize Learning–The New MyPoliSciLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals. MyPoliSciLab is now compatible with BlackBoard!
• Engage Students–The stunning visual design engages students in the text.  
• Improve Critical Thinking– Learning objectives in every chapter help students focus on important topics.
• Analyze Current Events–Coverage of the 2012 elections keeps the study of politics relevant and shows how political scientists look at the development of the American political system.
• Support Instructors– A full supplements package including the Class Preparation Tool in the New MyPoliSciLab is available.

Karen O’Connor is the Jonathan N. Helfat Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Founder and Director Emerita of the Women & Politics Institute at American University. Before coming to American University, Karen taught political science for seventeen years at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she was the first woman to receive the university’s highest teaching award. She has been recognized by several associations as the most outstanding woman in political science and public administration as well as by the Southern Political Science Association for her contributions to the discipline.  From 2010-2012, she has been selected by The Irish Times as one of the top 100 Irish American lawyers in the United States.

Dubbed “the most quoted college professor in the land” by the Wall Street Journal, Larry J. Sabato bridges the gap between the ivory tower and the real world of politics. A Rhodes Scholar, Dr. Sabato has taught more than 15,000 students in his career at Oxford University, Cambridge University, and the University of Virginia. He has received every major teaching award at the University of Virginia, and in 2001, he was named the Thomas Jefferson Award winner. Dr. Sabato is the University Professor of Politics and director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, founded in 1998 to improve civic education and the political process. Follow Larry’s Crystal Ball at www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball.

Alixandra B. Yanus is Assistant Professor of Political Science at High Point University, where she teaches courses in Enduring Questions in Political Science, American Government, and Research Methods. She holds a B.A. in Political Science (summa cum laude) from American University and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her scholarly research has appeared in peer-reviewed venues including Justice System Journal and Politics and Gender and in book chapters published by Oxford University Press, CQ Press, and Sage.