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Here are a few sources that may be of interest:
Chambers Dictionary of World History by
Revised and updated to reflect recent world events, Chambers Dictionary of World History features more than 7,500 entries in a straightforward A-to-Z format. This impressive reference covers the key figures and events in world history, with an in-depth focus on the period from A.D. 1000 to 2000. From the Norman Conquest to the Normandy campaign, its comprehensive coverage includes wars, treaties, plots, and political movements as well as nations of the world, international organizations, and biographies of major figures. Entries include a clear and helpful system of cross-references that makes the book ideal for browsing and highlights connections among individuals, ideas, and events. More than 60 sidebars cover significant themes of ancient and modern history, and specially commissioned historical and thematic maps supplement the dictionary entries. For history buffs, classroom use, or any home reference collection, this comprehensive look at world history is an essential resource.
Constitutional Amendments by
This thought-provoking and interesting text provides a complete examination of each of our nation's 27 Constitutional Amendments.
Encyclopedia of American cultural and intellectual history by 
The Encyclopedia of World History by
For decades William L. Langer's best-selling ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD HISTORY was the indispensable, authoritative guide to all of human history. Now, under the direction of a distinguished new editor, comes an updated and dramatically improved version for a new generation, the only encyclopedia of its kind with a bound-in, searchable compact disc of the complete text. The result is a wholly accessible, absorbing canvas of world history that no student, scholar, or amateur historian should bewithout. Renowned historian Peter N. Stearns and thirty prominent historians have combined their expertise over the past ten years to perfect this comprehensive chronology of more than 20,000 entries that span the millennia from prehistoric times to the year 2000. With a unique format that has won it generations of fans, the ENCYCLOPEDIA continues to feature chronological entries grouped by geographic region, allowing readers to get an in-depth view of distinct events along with a virtual time line of human history. But this new edition is much more than an expansion of a classic; it reflects important recent changes in historical trends and historical thinking. In addition to showcasing traditional facts of national leadership and state power, the Encyclopedia embraces social and cultural developments, non-European history, women's history, religion, health, economics, technology, and other vital but less often reported aspects of the human drama. Here is a chronicle not only ofmajor political events but of ordinary people, covering shifts in the relationships between men and women, developments in leisure, and demographic currents. And for all periods there are summaries of global developments that cannot be captured in national or regional frameworks. As editor Stearns notes in his preface, "The world we know historically has greatly changed. The revisions that animate this edition celebrate this change, benefiting from the labors of countless venturesome scholars over the past several decades." A masterwork whose roots date back to the nineteenth century, this exciting volume belongs at the elbow of every history lover and of anyone who has ever been curious about our constantly changing, remarkably diverse human story.
The Essentials of Global Politics by
The arena of global politics is a fast-changing and fascinating one, encompassing as it does the accelerating processes of globalisation, the ever-present threat of war, conflict and terrorism and the role of both key individuals and wider alliances of NGOs and protesters in influencing world events. The Essentials of Global Politicsis an essential reference book that guides the reader through these issues and many more, providing an overview of the most important contemporary events and themes. It straightforwardly presents the contextual information required to fully understand the world today, through a combination of maps, lists, key facts and summary information. It offers an accessible discussion of the effects that the processes of globalisation have had on global affairs, within six main sections. Pointers to up-to-date references and websites for further reading and research are provided throughout. Accessibly written and illustrated with useful maps and diagrams, The Essentials of Global Politicswill be an indispensable companion for students of politics, international relations and modern history, and a compelling source book for the general reader.
A Glossary of Political Theory by
This essential reference covers alphabetically both the major concepts in political theory and the key writers in the field. While ensuring accuracy and objectivity, the entries represent interpretations that are both challenging and interesting.The premise underlying the book is that politics cannot be studied without theory, and for students, the more concrete and relevant the theory, the better. Presenting theory in an abstract fashion makes it daunting for students who can find it difficult to see the links between theory and practice. The definitions in this glossary therefore relate political ideas to political realities (i.e. everyday controversies) in an attempt to make them as lively, stimulating, and accessible as possible. Terms have been selected based upon the concepts most regularly used in teaching.
Handbook of Global Environmental Politics by
The first Handbook of original articles by leading scholars of global environmental politics, this landmark volume maps the latest theoretical and empirical research in this young and growing field. Captured here are the dynamic and energetic debates over concerns for the health of the planet and how they might best be addressed. The introductory chapters explore the intellectual trends and evolving parameters in the field of global environmental politics. They make a case for an expansive definition of the field, one that embraces an interdisciplinary literature on the connections between global politics and environmental change. The remaining chapters are divided into three broad themes - states, governance and security; capitalism, trade and corporations; and knowledge, civil societies and ethics - with each section providing a cohesive discussion of current issues. In-depth explorations are given to topics such as: global commons, renewable energy, the effectiveness of environmental cooperation, regulations and corporate standards, trade liberalization and global environmental governance, and science and environmental citizenship.A comprehensive survey of the latest research, the Handbook is a necessary reference for scholars, students and policymakers in the field of global environmental politics.
Hutchinson Chronology of World History by 
The Politics Book by
From ancient and medieval philosophers such as Confucius and Thomas Aquinas, to revolutionary thought leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and Leon Trotsky, to the voices who have shaped modern politics. The Politics Book clearly and simply explains more than 100 groundbreaking ideas in the history of political thought.
World Politics Since 1945 by
The ninth edition of this enormously successful standard work has been expanded to take into account the developments of the last 10 years, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan; the accelerating emergence of India and China as major powers; the major political developments in Latin America, including the rise and perhaps fall of Chavez in Venezuela; the march of globalisation and the popular protest movements against; the expansion eastwards of the European Union; instability in the Middle East and the question of oil and energy supply.
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Here are a few sources that may be of interest:
American Political Parties and Elections by
Few Americans and even fewer citizens of other nations understand the electoral process in the United States. Still fewer understand the role played by political parties in the electoral process or the ironies within the system. Participation in elections in the United States is much lowerthan in the vast majority of mature democracies. Perhaps this is because of the lack of competition in a country where only two parties have a true chance of winning, despite the fact that a large number of citizens claim allegiance to neither and think badly of both. Or perhaps it is because in theU.S. campaign contributions disproportionately favor incumbents in most legislative elections, or that largely unregulated groups such as the now notorious 527s have as much impact on the outcome of a campaign as do the parties or the candidates' campaign organizations. Studying these factors, youbegin to get a very clear picture indeed of the problems that underlay our much trumpeted electoral system.This Very Short Introduction introduces the reader to these issues and more, providing an insider's view of how the system actually works while shining a light on some of its flaws. As we enter what is sure to be yet another highly contested election year, it is more important than ever thatAmericans take the time to learn the system that puts so many in power.
Doing Recent History by
Recent history--the very phrase seems like an oxymoron. Yet historians have been writing accounts of the recent past since printed history acquired a modern audience, and in the last several years interest in recent topics has grown exponentially. With subjects as diverse as Walmart and disco, and personalities as disparate as Chavez and Schlafly, books about the history of our own time have become arguably the most exciting and talked-about part of the discipline. Despite this rich tradition and growing popularity, historians have engaged in little discussion about the specific methodological, political, and ethical issues related to writing about the recent past. The twelve essays in this collection explore the challenges of writing histories of recent events where visibility is inherently imperfect, hindsight and perspective are lacking, and historiography is underdeveloped. Those who write about events that have taken place since 1970 encounter exciting challenges that are both familiar and foreign to scholars of a more distant past, including suspicions that their research is not historical enough, negotiation with living witnesses who have a very strong stake in their own representation, and the task of working with new electronic sources. Contributors to this collection consider a wide range of these challenges. They question how sources like television and video games can be better utilized in historical research, explore the role and regulation of doing oral histories, consider the ethics of writing about living subjects, discuss how historians can best navigate questions of privacy and copyright law, and imagine the possibilities that new technologies offer for creating transnational and translingual research opportunities. Doing Recent History offers guidance and insight to any researcher considering tackling the not-so-distant past.
Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections by
In this comprehensive guide to the language of contemporary American politics, Binning offers clear descriptions of terms such as soft money, gerrymandering, and blanket primary.
Essaying the Past by
Part research manual, part study guide, and part introduction to the study of history, Essaying the Past guides the reader through the nuts and bolts of producing good historical prose, offering key strategies and useful tips. Includes expert advice on writing about history, conducting good research, and learning how to think analytically Covers important topics such as framing questions, developing a strong introduction and topic sentences, choosing good evidence, and the crucial role of revision An annotated case study takes the reader through one student's process of writing an essay and illustrates how strategies discussed in the book can be successfully implemented Six appendices cover the major issues facing students today, such as the dangers of plagiarism and the role of the internet
How to Write History That People Want to Read by
This practical book, drawn from decades of experience, is an indispensable guide to writing history. Aimed at all kinds of people who write history OCo academic historians, public historians, professional historians, family historians and students of all levels OCo the book includes a wide range of examples from many genres and styles. It advises writers on how much research is necessary, how to manage notes and files, when you should start writing, whether to use the first person and whether to structure your work chronologically or thematically. It offers tips on how to write a compelling narrative, discusses dialogue and how much to include, and gives guidance on referencing. Full of examples, including many from the authorsOCO own experiences, this book is an indispensable guide to writing history."
Israel and the United States by
This unique volume intensively studies the nature and extent of US-Israeli relations, from 1948 through the Bush and Obama administrations. Leading experts in the field--including Israeli and North American scholars from a variety of political perspectives--contribute original essays on the principal political, religious, ethnic, military, economic, and juridical connections between the United States and Israel.
Political Worlds of Women by
Political Worlds of Women provides a comprehensive overview of women's political activism, comparing formal and informal channels of power from official institutions of state to grassroots mobilizations and Internet campaigns.
Politics on a Human Scale by
Featuring a foreword by Congressman Glen Browder, Politics on a Human Scale examines political decentralization in the United States, from the founding of the republic to the present. Part of the desirable equilibrium is a sense of proportionality. Some sizes, some amounts, some levels are more appropriate than others. Decentralism is the best political tool to ensure equilibrium, to promote proportionality, and to obtain appropriate scale. Power distribution should be as wide as possible. Government functions should be as close to the people as practicable. In this way, individual human beings are not swallowed by a monstrous Leviathan. Persons are not at the mercy of an impersonal bureaucracy led by the far-away few. Decentralism gives us politics on a human scale. It gives us more democracy within the framework of a republic. The longest chapters in the book deal with crucial turning points in U.S. history--specifically, when decentralists lost the upper-hand in the two major political parties. Decentralism in our nation runs deep, both intellectually and historically. It also has considerable popular support. Yet today it is a virtual political orphan. In Washington, neither major political party is serious about dispersing power to lower levels of government or to the people themselves. Still, there are dissident politicians and political movements that remain committed to the decentralist principle. Power needs to be held in check, partly through decentralization, because power holds a great and dangerous attraction for humans. Recognition of this human tendency is the first step in guarding against it and getting back on a better path.
The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History by
An essential resource for anyone interested in U.S. history and politics, this two-volume encyclopedia covers the major forces that have shaped American politics from the founding to today.
Studies in Law, Politics, and Society by
The articles in this volume of Studies in Law, Politics, and Society cover an exciting and diverse range of topics relating to law's relationship with and impact on society.
The Dispensable Nation: American foreign policy in retreat by
In a brilliant and revealing book destined to drive debate about the future of American power, Vali Nasr questions America's dangerous choice to engage less and matter less in the world. Vali Nasr, author of the groundbreaking "The Shia Revival," worked closely with Hillary Clinton at the State Department on Afghan and Pakistani affairs. In "The Dispensable Nation," he takes us behind the scenes to show how Secretary Clinton and her ally, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, were thwarted in their efforts to guide an ambitious policy in South Asia and the Middle East. Instead, four years of presidential leadership and billions of dollars of U.S. spending failed to advance democracy and development, producing mainly rage at the United States for its perceived indifference to the fate of the region. After taking office in 2009, the Obama administration had an opportunity to fundamentally reshape American foreign policy, Nasr argues, but its fear of political backlash and the specter of terrorism drove it to pursue the same questionable strategies as its predecessor. Meanwhile, the true economic threats to U.S. power, China and Russia, were quietly expanding their influence in places where America has long held sway. Nasr makes a compelling case that behind specific flawed decisions lurked a desire by the White House to pivot away from the complex problems of the Muslim world. Drawing on his unrivaled expertise in Middle East affairs and firsthand experience in diplomacy, Nasr demonstrates why turning our backs is dangerous and, what's more, sells short American power. The United States has secured stability, promoted prosperity, and built democracy in region after region since the end of the Second World War, he reminds us, and "The Dispensable Nation" offers a striking vision of what it can achieve when it reclaims its bold leadership in the world.
Fighting for Common Ground: how we can fix the stalemate in Congress by
An outspoken centrist, Senator Snowe stunned Washington in February 2012 when she announced she would not seek a fourth term and offered a sharp rebuke to the Senate, citing the dispiriting gridlock and polarization. After serving in the legislative branch at the state and federal levels for 40 years, including 18 years in the U.S. Senate, she explained that Washington wasn't solving the big problems anymore. In this timely call to action, she explores the roots of her belief in principled policy-making and bipartisan compromise. A leading moderate with a reputation for crossing the aisle, Senator Snowe will propose solutions for bridging the partisan divide in Washington, most notably through a citizens' movement to hold elected officials accountable. Senator Snowe recounts how the tragedies and triumphs of her personal story helped shape her political approach. Born in Augusta, Maine, Senator Snowe was orphaned at nine, and raised by an aunt and uncle. When she was twenty-six, her husband, a Maine state representative, was killed in an auto accident. Already dedicated to public service, she ran for and won her husband's seat. The book will include anecdotes from throughout her career, and address her working relationships with Presidents Reagan through Obama, Senator Ted Kennedy, Majority Leader Bob Dole, and many others. As a senior member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, the high-profile Commerce and Intelligence Committees, and the Senate Small Business Committee, Senator Snowe has been directly involved with the most talked-about legislative challenges of recent decades: the country's response to 9/11; the 2008 financial crisis; the Affordable Healthcare Act; the debt ceiling debacle, and much more. Her new book will draw on the lessons she's learned as a policymaker, and the frustration she shares with the American people about the government's dwindling productivity. Senator Snowe passionately argues that the government has now lost its way, shows how this happened, and proposes ways for the world's greatest deliberative body to, once again, fulfill its mission.
The Fight to Vote by
"Important and engaging" --The Washington Post From the president of NYU's Brennan Center for Justice and the author of The Second Amendment, the history of the long struggle to win voting rights for all citizens. In The Second Amendment, Michael Waldman traced the ongoing argument on gun rights from the Bill of Rights to the current day. Now in The Fight to Vote, Michael Waldman takes a succinct and comprehensive look at a crucial American struggle: the drive to define and defend government based on "the consent of the governed." From the beginning, and at every step along the way, as Americans sought to right to vote, others have fought to stop them. This is the first book to trace the full story from the founders' debates to today's challenges: a wave of restrictive voting laws, partisan gerrymanders, the flood of campaign money unleashed by Citizens United. Americans are proud of our democracy. But today that system seems to be under siege, and the right to vote has become the fight to vote. In fact, that fight has always been at the heart of our national story, and raucous debates over how to expand democracy have always been at the center of American politics. At first only a few property owners could vote. Over two centuries, working class white men, former slaves, women, and finally all Americans won the right to vote. The story goes well beyond voting rules to issues of class, race, political parties, and campaign corruption. It's been raw, rowdy, a fierce, and often rollicking struggle for power. Waldman's The Fight to Vote is a compelling story of our struggle to uphold our most fundamental democratic ideals.
Maine Politics and Government by
Remote and thinly populated, Maine was long insulated from many of the demographic and economic trends of states to the south. Maine Politics and Government traces recent changes in the state's system as agriculture, manufacturing, and maritime trades have ceded dominance to high-tech businesses, extensive commercial development, and an expanding governmental sector. This compact overview of Maine politics and government describes how the state's history and political culture have shaped its political processes, its governing institutions, and its public-policy priorities. It also highlights the shift in the role of Maine's governments in the past half century--from low-service entities to administrators of a broad range of public policies. The authors consider the impact of the influx of newcomers along the southern Maine coast, serious financial issues involving burdensome taxation, the pressing need to make the nearly five hundred units of local government more efficient, and problems attending the spread of suburbs throughout the state. Fully updated and expanded, this second edition provides a wealth of new material--maps, case studies, updated demographic information, treatment of new policies and health-care plans, and an overview of the administrations of the two most recent governors.
The Presidency and Political Science by
This work surveys the intellectual history of presidential scholarship from the Founding to the late 20th century. Reviewing the work of over 60 thinkers, including Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Neustadt, James McGregor Burns, and Theodore Lowi, the authors identify six central questions, the answers to which can help form a theory of presidential power: Does presidential power derive from the prerogatives of office or from incumbency?; Does presidential influence depend upon force of personality, rhetorical leadership, or partisanship?; Does presidential leadership depend upon historical context or is regime-building manifested through political, institutional, and constitutional developments?; Does presidential leadership vary between domestic and foreign affairs?; Does the president actively or passively engage the legislative process and promote a policy agenda?; and Does the organization of the executive branch service presidential leadership? scholarship - Hamiltonianism, Jeffersonianism and Progressivism - the authors conclude that today's understanding of the presidency is characterized by a new realism and old idealism. The book should appeal to students and scholars as well as to general readers with an interest in the American presidency.
State and Local Government by
State and Local Government takes an innovative approach to the study of state and local government by offering readers the means to develop their own points of view on its institutions, processes, and policies. Federalism, governmental structure, the party and electoral systems, and methods of citizen influence are described and then evaluated in the context of the opposing perspectives of conflict and consensus theories. State and local policies on public finance, economic development, welfare, and education are examined and then critiqued from the points of view of conservative, liberal, and socialist ideologies. The result is a book that not only informs readers on the facts of state and local government and politics, but also challenges them to think critically and analytically about those facts, and then helps them to draw conclusions about how well those processes and institutions are working.
The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism by
On February 19, 2009, CNBC commentator Rick Santelli stood on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and delivered a rant against government programs to shore up the housing market in the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Ridiculing "losers" who could not pay theirmortgages, Santelli invited America's "capitalists" to a "Chicago Tea Party." Less than a month after Barack Obama's inauguration, activists seized the opportunity to crystallize a nationwide Tea Party that has shaken American politics ever since.In this penetrating new study, Theda Skocpol of Harvard University, one of our leading political scientists, and co-author Vanessa Williamson go beyond the inevitable photos of protesters in tricorn hats and knee breeches to provide a nuanced portrait of the Tea Party. What they find is sometimessurprising. Drawing on extensive interviews in many parts of the country, they find that grassroots Tea Partiers - who are mostly white, older, and middle class - typically support Social Security, Medicare, and generous benefits for military veterans, despite their professed hatred of "biggovernment." Echoing longstanding conservative complaints, Tea Partiers are fiercely hostile to paying taxes to help people they consider "undeserving." They especially worry about claims by immigrants and younger people they believe have not paid their dues. Across America, Tea Party networks tiefree-market elites and funders to energized citizens who attend regular meetings, lobby legislators, and get out the vote. Although its popular appeal is limited to older conservatives, the Tea Party has shaken American politics by pulling the Republican Party sharply to the right. Public debatesare increasingly bitter; and government finds it harder to get things done. The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism combines fine-grained portraits of local Tea Party members and chapters with an overarching analysis of the movement's rise, impact, and likely fate. Thoughtful, perceptive, and impartial, it provides precisely the study we need as anotherpresidential campaign looms.
This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections 1940-2002 by
Scholar and avid campaign watcher Christian P. Potholm brings to bear his enthusiasm for politics, and his intricate understanding of campaign strategy, in This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections, 1940-2002. For each decade covered, Potholm briefly outlines all of Maine's U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and gubernatorial elections, then delves deeper into one campaign. He examines how Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman elected to the Senate, in 1948. He looks into which factors enabled the "Muskie revolution," beginning when Maine's long-in-power Republican party lost the governorship to the Democrat Ed Muskie in 1954, and cresting in the Democrat Ken Curtis's hard-fought gubernatorial re-election victory in 1970. He explores how the Republican counter-revolution took hold when Bill Cohen was elected to Congress in 1972, after having won many voters by walking about 600 miles across the state; and why in 1974 and 1994 Mainers chose Independent governors, respectively James Longley, Sr., and Angus King. And he examines how the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant survived the 1980 referendum on its possible shut-down. Throughout the book, Potholm focuses especially on the dynamics of candidates' and groups' use of polling and the media. This Splendid Game yields valuable insights into politics in Maine and the art of the political campaign.
Too Dumb to Fail by
From a leading voice among young conservatives, an impassioned argument that to stay relevant the Republican Party must look beyond short-term electoral gains and re-commit to historic conservative values. In 1963 Richard Hofstadter published his landmark book Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. Today, Matt Lewis argues, America's inclination toward simplicity and stupidity is stronger than ever, and its greatest victim is the Republican Party. Lewis, a respected conservative columnist and frequent guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe, eviscerates the phenomenon of candidates with a "no experience required" mentality and tea party "patriots" who possess bluster but few core beliefs. Lewis traces the conservative movement's roots, from Edmund Burke to William F. Buckley, and from Goldwater's loss to Reagan's landslide victory. He highlights visionary thinkers who understood nuance and deep ideology and changed the course of the nation. As we approach the 2016 presidential election, Lewis has an urgent message for fellow conservatives: embrace wisdom, humility, qualifications, and inclusion--or face extinction.
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American Government by 
American Government and Politics in the Information Age v. 1.0 by Central Maine Community College Library - 1250 Turner St., Auburn, Maine 04210 - Telephone: (207)755-5218 - Fax: (207)755-5494
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