Highlights political science research findings, viewed through rational choice, social-psychological, and bio-politics theories, introducing beginning level students to sophisticated scholarship in an accessible, understandable way. Authors are highly regarded, active scholars, attractive to adopting professors. Features policy discussions throughout the book in every chapter, not just at the end of the book, thus countering the tendency of American government courses and teachers to omit policy coverage due to time constraints. New to the Fifth Edition • New and updated statistical data reflecting the 2020 census and the 2022 midterm elections, and discussions of the implications of the data and the results. • Offers a retrospective analysis of the entire Trump presidency and the first years of the Biden presidency. • Examines contemporary questions of social justice and anticipates upcoming challenges to voting rights, affirmative action policies, health care and reproductive rights, and protections for ethnic minorities and the LGBT community. . • Previews the policy implications of an increasingly partisan Supreme Court, recaps the controversial recent decisions on health care, abortion, and environmental policy, and covers the historic confirmation of new justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson.

Highlights political science research findings, viewed through rational choice, social-psychological, and bio-politics theories, introducing beginning level students to sophisticated scholarship in an accessible, understandable way. Authors are highly regarded, active scholars, attractive to adopting professors. Features policy discussions throughout the book in every chapter, not just at the end of the book, thus countering the tendency of American government courses and teachers to omit policy coverage due to time constraints. New to the Fifth Edition • New and updated statistical data reflecting the 2020 census and the 2022 midterm elections, and discussions of the implications of the data and the results. • Offers a retrospective analysis of the entire Trump presidency and the first years of the Biden presidency. • Examines contemporary questions of social justice and anticipates upcoming challenges to voting rights, affirmative action policies, health care and reproductive rights, and protections for ethnic minorities and the LGBT community. . • Previews the policy implications of an increasingly partisan Supreme Court, recaps the controversial recent decisions on health care, abortion, and environmental policy, and covers the historic confirmation of new justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson.