THIS BOOK IS ABOUT POLITICS, but it is emphatically not traditional political science. For thirty years the Preface has helped teachers and students explore how we think and act, why such behavior is political, and what our alternatives are. Disposing of stale formulas, the Preface examines the working values and assumptions that undergird American political and social life, from Madison and the Federalist Papers to Madison Avenue and postmodern lifestyles. The essential ingredient this book offers is thus a shift in focus from "out there", the facts of the political process, to "in here", the way we think and why we think that way. The whole thrust is toward learning how to become aware of one's own blinders, and that places the bulk of the burden on the student-where it belongs.
2004 Copyright6th Edition
304 Pages
