Congress Explained
Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch
- Casey Burgat - George Washington University
- Charles Hunt - Boise State University, USA
Congress
"This book sets the standard for Congress textbooks!"
Congress Explained provides a fresh look at how Congress works. In contrast to many other textbooks on Congress, it places representation - the link between citizens and lawmakers - as a central focus. In particular, the book's emphasis on the role of money in driving legislative behavior and influencing democratic outcomes brings the study of Congress into the 21st century and offers a realistic and interesting approach to legislative politics in the era of polarization and perpetual campaigning.
"An excellent book to tell the story of the institution of Congress while highlighting its individual members - which is so hard to pull off. But this book does it very well."
"This textbook cuts through the idealized and obsolete descriptions of how Congress works in order to explain what really makes the contemporary Congress tick in all of its dysfunctional functionality."
"It makes the complexities of Congress more accessible to students who really do not understand the institution outside of Schoolhouse Rock."
Excellent analysis with interesting perspectives, much more likely to engage undergraduate students than most books on Congress.
Sample Materials & Chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction: A Broken Congress?
Chapter 2: Mastering the Basics: House and Senate