Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 192
•
Trim: 7 x 10
978-0-7425-3805-4 • Paperback • August 2007 • $38.00 • (£30.00)
Edward Drachman is professor of political science and international relations at the State University of New York at Geneseo. He has received awards as a teacher and student advisor and has authored several books and articles on political affairs. He resides in Geneseo, New York. Robert Langran is professor of political science at Villanova University and has been the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching and Faculty Service awards. He has authored three previous books and numerous articles. He resides in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Chapter 1 The Constitution: Is Original Intent the Proper Model for Constitutional Interpretation?
Chapter 2 Federalism: Shoud Undocumented Students Quaify for In-State Tuition Benefits from Pubic Colleges and Universities?
Chapter 3 Civil Liberties: Should Government-Sponsored Prayer Be Allowed in the Public Schools?
Chapter 4 Civil Rights: Race-Based Affirmative Action in College Admissions: Keep it, Mend it, or End it?
Chapter 5 Political Socialization and Culture: Are Bilingual Programs the Best Way to Teach Students with Limited English Proficiency?
Chapter 6 The Media: Should the U.S. media have shown the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed originally published in a Danish newspaper?
Chapter 7 Political Interest Groups: Are School Vouchers a Key to Meaningful Educational Reform?
Chapter 8 Political Parties and Campaigns: Is Campaign Reform Needed?
Chapter 9 Voting: What is the fairest method of redistricting?
Chapter 10 Elections: Is the Electoral College the Best Way to Elect U.S. Presidents?
Chapter 11 Congress: Should the Senate Continue the Practice of the Filibuster?
Chapter 12 The Presidency: How Limited Should Presidential Power in Wartime?
Chapter 13 The Judiciary: Should the case Kelo v. City of New London be revisited?
Chapter 14 Foreign Policy: What is the Best Exit Plan for the U.S. in Iraq?
You Decide! is an interactive text in the good old-fashioned sense, presenting the facts and the arguments of both sides of current issues and offering challenging questions to the reader. Reading it as it is presented in manageable chunks, issue by issue, eliminates any excuse to avoid the public debate. Highly recommended.
— Nancy Brown Speckmann, San Diego State University and Grossmont College
Ideal for classroom use. Employs a highly effective pedagogical framework that includes concise overviews, case studies, and policy alternatives of relevant political issues in American politics. This volume will both inform and critically engage the student.
— Joseph R. Fornieri, Rochester Institute of Technology
You Decide brings institutional and public policy issues to life with interesting narratives that frame issues of the day and incisive questions that are sure to provoke classroom debate. This expanded and revised second edition promises to engage students of politics in addressing some of the most challenging topics in U.S. politics today.
— Michael J. Goff,, Loyola College in Maryland
·Case Snapshot: This synopsis introduces the case.
·Major Case Controversies: We provide a list of the key conflicts, arguments and different viewpoints identified in the case.
·Background of the Controversy. This section discusses the evolution and development of the case, drawing upon historical and other source materials. Our major goal in this section is to identify the key arguments that result in debatable issues.
·Policy Options. We provide a list of solutions or alternative ways to resolve the case controversies.
·Conclusion. This is a brief summary of the major points identified in the case and the probable future direction of the case controversies.
·Class Activities. This section offers suggestions on how the casemay be used in class.
·Discussion Questions. A the end of each case there is a list of challenging questions that help students reflect on major issues.
·Suggestions for Further Reading. We offer a brief bibliographic list of key books, articles, and websites for further investigation of the issues in the case.