Bücher von Robert J. Spitzer

The Politics of Gun Control is a gem: the unique case study that delves into a controversial topic students know something about--or at least have an opinion on--while raising important issues and questions about how the American political system works. Now in its fourth edition, this authoritative and fair-minded analysis of the gun control debate in the United States analyzes every important aspect of the controversy, including its history; the Constitutional right to bear arms; the criminological consequences of guns; and the role and impact of American governing institutions, interest groups, political parties, public opinion, and more. This fourth edition incorporates new research on the pro-gun control movement, the lapse of the assault weapons ban, Congress's enactment of liability protection for gun manufacturers, and renewed efforts to expand gun carrying and gun use at the state level, including, most importantly, the enactment of "shoot first" laws in over a dozen states. Whether it is used in American politics or public policy courses, this case study provides an engaging and clear-minded look at one of the most enduringly contentious and compelling issues in American politics.

?Spitzer blends research on the impact of the New York-based Right to Life Party (RTLP) with questions of representation. He includes an analysis of four 18th-century third parties: Liberal, Free Soil, Greenback, and Prohibition. He develops a dynamic model of party development, which recognizes the nexus between the mobilization of discontent outsiders and the structure of political opportunities in election laws.... Based on the New York experience, Spitzer advocates a nationwide multiparty system to compel the major parties to address new issues and promote party renewal.... A valuable addition to college libraries.?-Choice

Political scientists and media specialists accept the commonplace assumption that the mass media have a profound and direct impact on virtually every aspect of the political process, yet remarkably few systematic studies examining the relationship between media and policy exist.

An objective examination of the Second Amendment, focusing on the intentions of its authors, its evolution from America's beginnings to the present, and the views expressed by the courts.

Gun control is one of the most enduringly controversial issues in modern American politics. This book compiles a comprehensive array of documents that explain and illuminate the historical and contemporary context of the modern gun debate.