Considered the gold standard on interest group politics, this widely-used text analyzes interest groups within the intuitive framework of democratic theory, enabling readers to understand the workings of interest groups within the larger context of our political system. Comprehensive coverage includes not only the traditional farm, labor, and trade associations, but also citizen groups, public interest organizations, corporations, and public interest firms
Brief in page count yet comprehensive in coverage, the book is flexible for different class settings. The book's rich content and lean size allows it to stand alone as the centerpiece of a course, or be assigned as one of several texts.
New to the Sixth Edition
- Updates the role of money in interest group activity following the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
- Covers new interest group actors including the Tea Party, Occupy, and others.
- Examines new developments in key interest group arenas including health care and the environment.
- Looks at the role of social media in interest groups.
- Adds a comparative look at interest group action, organization, and scholarship abroad.
1. Madison’s Dilemma 2. The Advocacy Explosion 3. The Party Connection 4. Mobilization and Organization 5. Lobbyists 6. Public Opinion and Grassroots Lobbying 7. Political Action Committees 8. Washington Lobbying 9. The Rise of Issue Networks 10. Bias and Representation
Biography
Jeffrey M. Berry is Professor of Political Science at Tufts University.
Clyde Wilcox
is Professor in the Government Department at Georgetown University.Praise for the Sixth Edition
For a decade, The Interest Group Society has been my go-to book when teaching students about interest groups. It applies major theoretical concepts to modern phenomena in a straightforward way, and its comprehensive treatment of the literature is well-integrated with careful consideration of current events. This new edition does not disappoint. I would recommend it as essential reading for any course that includes a focus on interest groups.
Amy McKay, University of Exeter
The Interest Group Society has provided the continuity in my courses on interest groups for over twenty years. No one does it better than Berry and Wilcox: They weave contemporary discussions of the changing legal and political environments, 527s, the Tea Party, and Black Lives Matter into the contextual tapestry of James Madison's classic dilemma and the most recent scholarship in the field. Each edition brings a new generation of students into the fascinating world of organized interests.
Kevin W. Hula, Loyola University Maryland
