Los Angeles Valley College Library: OER: Open Educational Resources: Political Science

Textbooks

Introduction to California Government and Politics by Steven Reti (2019): College of the Canyons.

Each chapter explores California politics using a mixture of political philosophy, political theory, and contemporary and historical political evidence. The contours of California politics follow in many ways national patterns of political culture and conflict. Lockean promotions of rights and liberties and Madisonian concerns for checks and balances are very evident in the push and pull among people for influence. California has also been significantly shaped by late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Progressives with their emphases on populism, on the rational scientific management of public policy by professionalized government bureaucracies, and welcoming reforms of all sorts to achieve these twin goals of democratization and good government. The spirit of Progressivism is alive and well in California with more calls for popular involvement in politics, reforms of the electoral processes, efforts to change government procedures, and, of course, the constant drive to develop more effective and popular public policies.

College of the Canyons

Attenuated Democracy: A Critical Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics by David Hubert (2020): Salt Lake
Community College.

To attenuate something is to make it weak or thin. Democracy in America has been thin from the beginning and continues to be so despite some notable progress in voting rights. As political scientists Benjamin Page and Martin Gilens wrote, “The essence of democracy is not just having reasonably satisfactory policies; the essence of democracy is popular control of government, with each citizen having an equal voice.” Since this is likely to be your only college-level course on the American political system, it is important to point out the structural weaknesses of our system and the thin nature of our democracy. Whenever you get the chance—in the voting booth, in your job, perhaps if you hold elected office—I encourage you to do something about America’s attenuated democracy.

PressBooks

A Primer on Politics by T.M. Sell (2014).

This book should provide students with a basic outline of politics, what it means and how it works. The book will attempt to demystify the political world, and make it relevant by showing how things actually work and why -- how political systems divide the spoils and spread the burdens of civilized life; how economic and political systems intersect; and how approaches to politics have evolved to bring us where we are today.

American Government 2E by Glen Krutz et al (2019): OpenStax.

American Government 2e is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American Government course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including Insider Perspective features and a Get Connected module that shows students how they can get engaged in the political process. The book provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of American Government and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them.

American Government and Politics in the Information Age by Various Authors (2016): UM Libraries Publishing.

Governments possess power—the ability to gain compliance and to get people under their jurisdiction to obey them—and they may exercise their power by using the police and military to enforce their decisions. However, power need not involve the exercise of force or compulsion; people often obey because they think it is in their interest to do so, they have no reason to disobey, or they fear punishment. Above all, people obey their government because it has authority; its power is seen by people as rightfully held, as legitimate. People can grant their government legitimacy because they have been socialized to do so; because there are processes, such as elections, that enable them to choose and change their rulers; and because they believe that their governing institutions operate justly.

Introduction to Political Science Research Methods by Josh Franco, Charlotte Lee et al (2020): ASCCC OERI.

Introduction to Political Science Research Methods, 1st edition, is an Open Education Resource Textbook that surveys the research methods employed in political science. The textbook includes chapters that cover: history and development of the empirical study of politics; the scientific method; theories, hypotheses, variables, and units; conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of political concepts; elements of research design including the logic of sampling; qualitative and quantitative research methods and means of analysis; and research ethics.

Leading with Cultural Intelligence by Mai Moua (2012): Saylor Foundation.

The purpose of Leading With Cultural Intelligence by Mia Moua is to outline the important ideas of cultural intelligence and the steps that must be considered and then practiced to become a culturally intelligent leader. The most important aspect covered within this book is that cultural intelligence is both a strategy and a tool towards cultural competency and proficiency. This book outlines the importance of understanding culture and its impact on organizations, the strategic value of cultural intelligence, and the significance of integrating and practicing cultural intelligence in everyday business life. When all these aspects are properly integrated and applied in the leadership and management process, organizations are more innovative and adaptable to respond to cultural changes

Democracy in Brief by U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs (2019): BC Campus.

Democracy in Brief touches on topics such as rights and responsibilities of citizens, free and fair elections, the rule of law, the role of a written constitution, separation of powers, a free media, the role of parties and interest groups, military-civilian relations and democratic culture.

Static America - PDF

International Relations by Stephen McGlinchey (2016): University of West England.

This book is designed to be a ‘Day 0' introduction to International Relations. As a beginner's guide, it has been structured to condense the most important information into the smallest space and present that information in the most accessible way. The chapters offer a broad sweep of the basic components of International Relations and the key contemporary issues that concern the discipline. The narrative arc forms a complete circle, taking readers from no knowledge to competency. The journey starts by examining how the international system was formed and ends by reflecting that International Relations is always adapting to events and is therefore a never-ending journey of discovery. Unlike typical textbooks, there are no boxes, charts, pictures or exercises. The philosophy underpinning this book is that these things can be a distraction. This book, like others in the E-IR Foundations series, is designed to capture attention with an engaging narrative. The chapters are short, with simple paragraphs and clear sentences placing the reader inside crucial issues and debates so they can understand how things work, and where they fit in the world around them.

UWE Repository

21st Century American Government and Politics by David Paletz (2012): University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing.

In covering American government and politics, our text introduces the intricacies of the Constitution, the complexities of federalism, the meanings of civil liberties, and the conflicts over civil rights explains how people are socialized to politics, acquire and express opinions, and participate in political life; describes interest groups, political parties, and elections—the intermediaries that link people to government and politics; details the branches of government and how they operate; and shows how policies are made and affect people’s lives.

Courses

American Government (Lumen)
This course teaches the origins and key functions of the American government. Topics include the Constitution; federalism; civil rights and liberties; the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government; political culture and public opinion; media and politics; political parties and interest groups; elections; and public policy. Students should gain an appreciation of the American governmental system and it functions, as well as the importance of civic engagement.
Constitutional Law (Lumen)
CRJ200: This course begins with an overview of the United States Constitution, then addresses the first eight amendments to the Constitution and related Supreme Court cases. The course concludes with a look at Social Media and its role in Constitutional rights and law.
Ethics and Public Policy (Saylor)
POLSC401: This course provides an overview of the role ethical, cultural, religious, and moral principles play in how lawmakers and other public officials formulate and execute public policy.
After studying the foundational theories of ethics and morality in politics, we review arguments about existing issues in domestic and international policy from a variety of perspectives. Common themes in ethics debates include justice, equality, fairness, individual liberty, free enterprise, charity, fundamental human rights, and minimizing harm to others. These themes are integrated into various decision-making models, such as the utilitarian approach, fairness and justice approach, and rights approach.
Foundations of Political Science (MIT OpenCourseWare)
The course introduces students to the fundamental theories and methods of modern political science through the study of a small number of major books and articles that have been influential in the field. This semester, the course focuses on American and comparative politics.
Global Justice (Saylor)
POLSC402: How do you define, understand, and uphold justice in a global and globalizing world? That question forms the focal point of this course. It leads to an examination of whether or not global justice is impossible because of a chaotic and extremely diverse world, or to varying degrees, whether or not justice by its very nature demands a global context and scope of applicability.
Introduction to International Relations Course (ASCC OERI)
Modules include Thinking Analytically in International Relations, Realism and Liberalism, Marxism and Constructivism, Feminism and Asian Perspectives, International Institutions, International Trade, International Finance, Conflict, Diplomacy, International Law, Human rights, and Development
Introduction to Political Philosophy (Open Yale)
This course is intended as an introduction to political philosophy as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition. Three broad themes that are central to understanding political life are focused upon: the polis experience (Plato, Aristotle), the sovereign state (Machiavelli, Hobbes), constitutional government (Locke), and democracy (Rousseau, Tocqueville). The way in which different political philosophies have given expression to various forms of political institutions and our ways of life are examined throughout the course.
Introduction to Political Science (Saylor)
POLSC101: This is a survey course, and as such it can either be used by students who are looking to take just one general overview course, or for students who want to go on to more advanced study in any of the subfields that comprise the political science discipline, such as American politics, comparative politics, international politics, or political theory. This course will survey the different ways in which political scientists study the phenomena of politics and will deepen your understanding of political life as both a thinker and a citizen. The goal of this course is to introduce you to the discipline's concepts, terminology, and methods and to explore instances of applied political science through real world examples.
Introduction to Western Political Thought (Saylor)
POLSC201: Political thought, or political philosophy, studies questions about power, justice, rights, law, and other issues related to governance. While some believe these concepts are static, political thought asks how they originated and to what effect. Just as Socrates' question "how should we be governed?" led to his execution, the question "what makes a government legitimate?" can lead to political turmoil. What form should government take? What do citizens owe their government? When should citizens overthrow an illegitimate government?