I dislike most textbooks. They usually privilege factual knowledge over giving students the building blocks they need to evaluate inferences from evidence, which is what students need in upper division courses. When I teach American Government, I use The Logic of American Politics because it teaches students the logic collective action, which is not easy to understand. Even for instructors who are skeptical about the assumption of rationality, this is a great text because it gives the students what they need to be able to think for themselves about what rationality implies for human behavior and institutional governance – and what it does not.”
"The Logic of American Politics is that rare introductory textbook that does not condescend to its readers. Rigorous and serious without being intimidating, the book provides students with both a solid empirical foundation for understanding the nuts and bolts of American government and politics as well as a supremely useful theoretical toolkit of core collective action concepts. Those concepts recur across the subject matter covered in the book and deepen students' understanding of the challenges - as well as the distinctive characteristics - of democratic self-government in America. "
The Logic of American Politics offers a fresh perspective into the American system of government—one rooted in collective action problems in politics and how government institutions solve and create them.
For its theoretically informed approach based primarily on the “new institutionalist” tradition, the authors use highly accessible language throughout the text. They have always updated it with timely discussions to connect concepts and theories to events hot to the touch like government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Often presented in “Strategy and Choice” and “Politics to Policy” boxes throughout the text, these discussions provide informative and absorbing illustrations for the logic behind political institutions and processes.
I have assigned this text for my “Introduction to American Government” course. It has noticeably challenged—and enabled—my students to analyze the politics in their lives and on the news through a powerful critical lens.”
The Logic of American Politics is the leading textbook in the field for many reasons: it provides comprehensive coverage in an analytically sophisticated and accessible way. Organized around critical collective action problems in politics and government, it is well written, acquaints students with relevant evidence and invites them into a critical mode of analysis of central questions about democratic governance. I’m a frequent and highly satisfied adopter!”
The Logic of American Politics is comprehensive, captivating, and clear. It is the perfect book to help students learn about collective action and its role in shaping American government throughout the country’s history. It provides students with a common language and a set of tools for analyzing what is happening in the United States today. I especially appreciate how the book uses pictures, graphics, and tables to break down complex concepts, making the material more engaging and easier to understand. I strongly recommend this book!”
Logic is an essential resource for teaching about US politics today, which often appears to have no logic to it.”
"The Logic of American Politics is a stellar textbook for introducing students to the fundamentals of American government. It draws on core ideas in political science to elucidate each important feature of the American political system. Students get a healthy dose of political history along the way from many compelling historical and contemporary examples. Kernell et al set the stage for students to engage with the political system constructively by showing that underneath all the sound and fury, our politics has a certain logic that can be understood. "
I’ve been using The Logic of American Politics for more than a decade because it checks all the boxes for a textbook: comprehensive coverage of the major parts of American government; a theme that helps students see connections among various aspects of politics; and timely updates that keep the content fresh. This is the best book on the market.
The Logic of American Politics is a consistently valuable resource for any educator hoping to explain the seemingly illogical elements of American Politics. The format of the textbook spans all major substantive areas of American Politics, including foundational elements, institutions, public opinion, and policy-making, while incorporating current political issues and examples throughout the text. The “Politics to Policy” feature is particularly helpful to understand the political rationale behind significant policies, and tangibly link theory to outcomes.”
The Logic of American Politics offers the best theoretically driven understanding of American politics for undergraduates; I’ve used it for nearly twenty years at a variety of institutions. It goes far beyond simple civics to teach students how to think like a political scientist. It explains historical and contemporary political patterns through concepts like collective action, delegation, and agenda control while remaining accessible for even first-year college students.”
Suitable for an introductory undergraduate course in American government, this textbook examines political institutions and practices as solutions to the need for collective action. The authors discuss the historical background of the Constitution and ideas of civil rights and liberties; the forms and functions of Congress, the executive branch, the judiciary, and the bureaucracy; and the impact of public opinion, political campaigns, political parties, interest groups, and the media on American politics. There is no chapter on interactions between the federal and the state governments, which could, perhaps, be considered an omission. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
"[The Logic of American Politics] is simply the best American government text out there. Its clear focus on collective action theory is appealing and understandable, and the text is readable and engaging."
The Logic of American Politics is the best textbook on the market for those instructors seeking to emphasize the concepts of institutional design and collective action. This thematic focus helps introductory students truly understand American government and politics. What is more, the text pushes students to think analytically about the topic while engaging them with both current and historical narratives in American politics.
The Logic of American Politics is fantastic. In addition to covering American government thoroughly, it is unabashedly a political science textbook that gives students insight into the discipline and what it does. It doesn’t seek to tell students what to believe, instead giving them the tools to be educated citizens and consumers of political information.”
It is introductory American Politics textbook covering all the main issues in American Politics. It has a good layout that can keep the student interest without getting gimmicky."
The Logic of American Politics has a clear analytical focus, smart and thoughtful chapters that cover what I like in an intro. text, and a writing style that is engaging and accessible to students.
Any political system can be evaluated in terms of its durability, whether it resolves collective action problems, solves the tragedy of the commons, protects individual freedom and ensures equity. The wonderful thing about The Logic of American Politics is that it helps students both understand this and then evaluate the American political system on these terms. It is a great textbook for those who want to think critically about politics in the United States.”
The Logic of American Politics provides an edifying combination of social science concepts, political history, and clear connections to current events. It helps students understand everything from the country's founding to today's headlines. "
Logic engages students on multiple levels to provide an unrivaled textbook on American politics. Its narrative history teaches students the context and background necessary to appreciate the development and design of the constitutional system. Its analytic approach gives students social scientific tools to conceptualize the interactions of American political institutions, politicians, and citizens. And its timely updates to the text, case histories, and sidebars allow students to easily connect the timeless elements of the text to contemporary political controversies.
This is an exceptional combination for any student of American politics. I always select this book when teaching my courses.”
I have been using The Logic of American Politics for more than twenty years, and I cannot imagine using another text to teach my introductory class. By coming at the study of American government and politics through the lens of collective action, Kernell, Jacobson, Kousser, Vavreck, and Johnson provide students with a cognitive framework for thinking about deliberation, compromise, and consensus—all things that are essential to a healthy democracy but have recently been in short supply. The text’s emphasis on institutionalism likewise helps students to understand why even when a consensus emerges, political preferences might not be sufficient to result in political action.
My students come away from their reading armed with the information and critical analysis they need to be able to make informed judgments about their government and their own roles in it as citizens.”
"The Logic of American Politics is a terrifically rich summation of our knowledge in this particular area; more importantly, it is a masterfully articulated blueprint for how to think about politics in general. In my opinion, there is not a more potent exposition of the current theories and empirical evidence in political science. For that reason, I not only assign this book to undergraduate students, but also in many of my Ph D courses to give young scholars a foundation for doing original research in the field. "
The Logic of American Politics is an ideal text for students new to the processes of the American government to learn about how the institutions of government and how the political system work. It is the best textbook on American government and political process on the market!”
I like The Logic of American Politics’ focus on politics as solutions to collective action problems. The analytical framework is very effectively developed and integrated throughout. My students are often surprised to find that all of those concepts I introduce at the start of the semester hold relevance to such a wide range of political phenomena.”
I chose The Logic of American Politics because it’s accessible and interesting. It provides a good base for students to gain core knowledge and then dig deeper into specific elements of U.S. politics.”
The Logic of American Politics is a well-written and thorough introduction that incorporates helpful and contemporary examples. It is the best textbook that I have come across in the subject of American politics and the discipline of political science.
An excellent textbook that has a unique approach and covers the American Politics in greater depth than other textbooks.
This text provides a concise framework beginning with the concept of collective action that facilitates student understanding of political development and processes in a meaningful way.
It’s the perfect textbook for our needs – emphasis on institutions, with a great mix of primary documents, history, and political theory. It covers all the bases – in a way that is effective for student learning (and it is fun to teach)."
Most other textbooks for the introductory American politics course leave out either the politics or the science. The Logic of American Politics is unique in providing a thorough, current introduction to the system while also giving students a way to think critically and systematically about it. Despite the fact that it is new and abstract at the outset, students seize on the book’s collective action and institutional design framework and use it in class. This is an indication to me that the book pays off for them.
I have been a fan of The Logic of American Politics for many years. It has managed to nimbly stay on top of the everchanging world of American politics. The textbook seamlessly mixes in fundamental truths of the discipline with contemporary references to recent changes. Lively prose is combined with innovative and cleverly presented data analysis to produce a work that challenges my students but does not go over their heads. It reinforces the connections I try to make between my students’ everyday lives and the political world around them. This is simply an outstanding text for those teaching an introductory class in American government.”
This text provides a concise framework beginning with the concept of collective action that facilitates student understanding of political development and processes in a meaningful way.
