From the lingering but long-lasting effects of the COVID pandemic to the growing diffusion of partisan polarization through the various levels of government, the
Ninth Edition of
Governing States and Localities introduces students to the most recent challenges, developments, and political changes impacting state and local politics. Employing a comparative approach, bestselling authors Kevin B. Smith and Alan Greenblatt illustrate the similarities and differences in the way state and local governments operate to show students the real-world application of policy and politics.
This edition keeps students engaged with a crisp journalistic style while providing a comprehensive introduction to state and local governments that is easily accessible to undergraduates in a variety of majors.
Table of Content
Map of the United States
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Chapter 1 Introduction to State and Local Government: They Tax Dogs in West Virginia, Don′t They?
Chapter 2 Federalism: The Power Plan
Chapter 3 Constitutions: Operating Instructions
Chapter 4 Finance: Filling the Till and Paying the Bills
Chapter 5 Political Attitudes and Participation: Venting and Voting
Chapter 6 Parties and Interest Groups: Elephants, Donkeys, and Cash Cows
Chapter 7 Legislatures: The Art of Herding Cats
Chapter 8 Governors and Executives: There Is No Such Thing as Absolute Power
Chapter 9 Courts: Turning Law into Politics
Chapter 10 Bureaucracy: What Nobody Wants but Everybody Needs
Chapter 11 Local Government: Function Follows Form
Chapter 12 Metropolitics: The Hole Problem of Government
Chapter 13 Education: Reading, Writing, and Regulation
Chapter 14 Crime and Punishment
Chapter 15 Health and Welfare
Chapter 16 Environment and Climate Change: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
Notes
Glossary
Index
About the author
Kevin B. Smith is the Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Chair of Political Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author or coauthor of 10 books on politics and policy, as well as numerous scholarly articles on state politics and policy. Prior to becoming an academic, he covered state and local politics as a newspaper reporter. You can follow him on Twitter at @nivek_htims.
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