Race and Inequality in American Politics

Authored by three of the USA's most well-known scholars on American politics, this undergraduate textbook argues that racial considerations are today-and have always been since the nation's founding-central to understanding America's political system writ large. Drawing on decades of teaching experience and compelling original research, Hajnal, Hutchings, and Lee present an up-to-date and comprehensive survey of race's role in American democracy, spanning topics as wide-ranging as public opinion, voting behavior, media representation, criminal justice, social policy, and protest movements. The reader will examine the perspectives of multiple racial groups, learn how to bring empirical analysis to bear on deeply divided viewpoints, and debate solutions to the many problems of governance in an America that is polarized by party, riven by race, and divided by inequality. Chapters open with a vignette to introduce the core issues and conclude with discussion questions and annotated suggested readings. Full color photos, figures, and boxed features elaborate on and reinforce important themes. Instructor resources are available online.

'Like all countries, the United States is an imperfect union. But each union is imperfect in its own way; the U.S. shows a distinctive structure of liberal democratic aspirations overlaid on racial, ethnic, and class inequality. Coming from these authors, this book is our best guide to understanding how that conundrum plays out in politics, daily life, and policies. Students will gain invaluable insight by engaging with Race and Inequality in American Politics-and will learn ways to make our union less imperfect.' Jennifer Hochschild, Harvard University
'Written by several of the leading political science scholars who have long studied the fundamental importance of race in American politics, Race and Inequality in American Politics: An Imperfect Union is a strikingly comprehensive, rigorous, and intellectually thoughtful work, particularly notable in its rich combination and blending of breadth and depth.' Rodney E. Hero, Arizona State University
'This is a terrific book, perfect for the classroom. The authors are exceptional at providing a great range of topics and research within a larger narrative of the foundational nature of race and discrimination in American history and today. Moreover, authored by three of the foremost scholars in racial and ethnic politics today, the book provides a synthesis of the leading cutting-edge work of the moment that will benefit scholars at all levels of the academy.' Paul Frymer, Princeton University
'Leveraging extensive original research and an exhaustive review of the existing literature on race and American politics, Hajnal, Hutchings, and Lee provide an incisive and compelling overview of how, when, and under what circumstances race has played and continues to play a central role in American politics. This cogent and accessible text provides students with a more substantive orientation to U.S. political history than traditional textbooks, with a focus not only on the inputs but also on the outcomes of elections and policy making. With elegance and depth, the authors craft a narrative that offers students a robust and meaningful understanding of U.S. political institutions, including how they evolved into their current forms and why their actions matter to real people. This is the robust empirical foundation undergraduate students need in order to be able to meaningfully and effectively engage in our democracy.' Lisa García Bedolla, University of California, Berkeley

Zoltan L. Hajnal is the author of several award-winning books, has published in the top political science journals, and has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and a range of other media outlets. He is actively involved in voting rights litigation and local election law reform. Vincent L. Hutchings was elected as a Fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) in 2012 and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 2022. Taeku Lee is Bae Family Professor of Government and President-Elect of the American Political Science Association. Prior to Harvard, Lee was Professor of Political Science and Law at UC-Berkeley for two decades.

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