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"Can We All Get Along?"Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics, Fifth Editionby Joseph Stewart Jr., Paula D. McClain Jul 13, 2009
DescriptionIn a nation built by immigrants and bedeviled by the history and legacy of slavery and discrimination, issues of liberty, equality, and community continue to challenge Americans. In the fifth edition of this widely acclaimed book, Paula McClain and Joseph Stewart combine traditional elements of political science analysis-history, Constitutional theory, institutions, political behavior, and policy actors-with a fully updated survey of the political status of four major groups: blacks, Latinos, Asian Americans, and American Indians. McClain and Stewart show similarities and differences in these groups political action and experience, and point the way toward coalition, competition, and consensus building in the face of ongoing conflict. Two dilemmas shape the book: How do we as a nation reconcile a commitment to equality with persistent inequality and discrimination? And what can we do about it-from the perspective of ethnic and racial minorities as well as within the dominant culture? Thoroughly updated following the historic 2008 presidential election, this new edition provides a concise overview of minority politics in America. ReviewsThis latest edition of 'Can We All Get Along?, arriving as it does in the recent wake of the paradigm shifting election of President Obama, gives students and instructors alike the updated comparative data and nuanced interpretation they need to understand the magnitude of racial and ethnic politics in the U.S. In the wake of an historic election, students will be searching for ways to understand the significance of race and ethnicity in American politics. This book offers a comprehensive and comparative approach to this important topic. It provides crucial historical context, vital contemporary data, and a survey of the most up-to-date theory in the field. For these reasons, I rely upon Can We All Get Along? as the backbone of my Race and American Politics course. Can We All Get Along? explains why Barack Obamas 2008 election to the presidency has not made Rodney Kings plaintive cry in 1992 irrelevant any more than it has eliminated race and ethnicity as factors integral to American politics, and the new 5th edition enables our comprehension of those facts to be as contemporary as todays headlines. Students in a basic American government course will learn from this versatile, accessible book that ethnicity/race is not merely a theme casually imposed on American politics; those in a minority politics class will be treated to a unique comparative examination of American politics from the divergent perspectives of principal American ethnic/racial minority groups. McClain and Stewart continue their tradition of clear and analytical writing that is also interesting. An exceptionally useful text! This book is a unique resource for helping students to understand the interplay between diverse populations and the American political system. The latest edition provides a rich introduction to the histories, theoretical concepts, and key terms associated with U.S. racial and ethnic politics. Students will also appreciate the authors attention to recent statistics and the dynamics of the 2008 Presidential race. "It is ironic, given all the interest and commitment today, that this important book fills a void in the literature on minority groups in the American political process. Although the book is comprehensive and instructive as a textbook ought to be, the authors do not sacrifice scholarly analysis, nor do they indulge in sentimentality. After three editions, the book has moved from recommended to essential. Congratulations to the authors and publisher.
An insightful analysis of the critical dilemmas of inequality and appropriate political action for contemporary U.S. racial and ethnic minority groups, this book will be an extremely valuable resource for political scientists, their students, and concerned citizens.
Not only a perfect supplement to American government texts, focusing on a subject that many believe is the most serious and enduring political dilemma in U.S. politics, but additionally it is a masterful text in itself, bringing together a great deal of information about this nation's major ethno-racial groups-- information that previously could only be found in several sources, if at all.
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