The United States of America dominates the twenty-first-century world both in military and political power as well as in its cultural influence as a model of the "good life" and a desired destination for migration.
This completely revised and updated second edition of Contemporary America provides an extremely broad-ranging introduction to the society, politics,economy, culture, and world role of the United States. The authors focus on the Clinton and George W. Bush presidencies--and in particular on the period since the terrorist attacks of 9/I 1/2001 which has been marked by a growing cultural division between a largely permissive, urban Democratic "Blue" America and a largely religious, rural, and Republican "Red" America.
List of Figures, Maps, Illustrations, Tables, and Boxes
Preface and Acknowledgments to the Second Edition
List of Abbreviations
Map of the United States of America: States and State Capitals
Introduction
1 History
The Rise of a Nation
The Rise to Power
From Isolation to Superpower
The Cold War
The 1990s
2 Land and People
The Land
The People
Regions
Immigration
3 Government
The Constitution
The Federal System
The Branches of Government
4 The Political System
The 2004 Election
Participatory Democracy
Political Parties
Politics
5 Society
Class
The American Family
Women
Race
Crime and Punishment
6 Religion, Education, and Social Policy
Religion
Education
Social Services
Culture
Diversity
The Rise of American Culture
Leisure Time
Print Media
Mass Entertainment
Government Activities
The World Wide Web
Sports
The Arts
Popular Music
The Economy
The US Domestic Economy
Labor Unions
Business and Industry
Government and Business
The Global Marketplace
The Dollar and the Trade Deficit
Foreign Policy
Separation of Powers and Foreign Policy
The Administration of Foreign Policy
History of Foreign Policy
The Cold War, 1945-1991
The New World Order
The Bush Administration
10 Conclusion
The Home Front
Foreign Affairs
Conclusion
Appendix: Constitution of the United States
Recommended Reading
America on the Internet
Bibliography
