1. What Is Politics?
2. The Constitution: Rules of the Game
3. The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Bureaucracy
4. The Legislative Branch: Congress
5. The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court and the Federal Court System
6. Civil Rights and Liberties: Protecting the Players
7. Voters and Political Parties
8. Interest Groups and the Media
9. Who Wins, Who Loses.: Pluralism, Elitism, and Tribalism
Biography
Gary Wasserman has shaped a career in teaching, public service, political consulting, and writing. He recently wrote The Doha Experiment about his eight years as a Professor of Government at Georgetown University in Qatar. His case book, Politics in Action (3rd ed.), was published in 2026. He now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Elliott Fullmer is Professor of Political Science at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He is the author of two other recent books, Tuesday’s Gone: America’s Early Voting Revolution and Everyone’s Democracy. His research on elections and voting behavior has also appeared in Presidential Studies Quarterly, American Politics Research, Election Law Journal, and other outlets.
Praise for The Basics of American Politics, 17th edition
The textbook is accessible, readable, engaging, and the price is perfect for our community college students. The case studies are well-written and students enjoy discussing them in class and on their discussion boards.
Kathryn H. Edwards, Ashland Community and Technical College, Kentucky, USA
Wasserman and Fullmer have updated a classic American politics introductory textbook and made it as relevant as today's headlines. It introduces key concepts, and just as importantly, it asks students to use these concepts to consider the important issues involved in promoting and defending constitutional democratic governance. Its writing is crisp, its pedagogy helpful, and its coverage authoritative. For almost half a century this book has set the standard for accessible introductory texts, and this edition raises the bar.
Richard M. Pious, Barnard College and Columbia University, New York, USA
