The Brief Edition retains the popular themes of the full length text: the conflicting values of freedom, order, and equality, and the majoritarianism vs. pluralism debate. New to this edition is greater attention to globalization; thorough coverage of recent political events, including the 2002 election; George W. Bush's presidency; and the "War on Terrorism."

To enhance student learning and aid instructors, a complete technology package includes HM Testing; companion web sites; Political SourceNet, a database of topics that includes each branch of government, primary source documents, exercises, and web links; and IDEAlog, the award winning software that allows students to analyze voter attitudes and behavior by cross-tabulating survey data from presidential and Congressional elections

New!Can You Explain Why? marginal features challenge students to use critical-thinking skills to explain a paradoxical situation, such as why Americans, more than other people, engage in most forms of political participation except voting.
New!Politics in a Changing World features appear in half the chapters and focus on globalization by discussing how American politics affects the world and how world politics affects the US. Politics in a Changing America alternate with Changing World, concentrating on the role of minority groups as they relate to changes in the political opportunity, participation, and status of their groups.
New! Crosstabs and IDEAlog icons appear in text margins to indicate where students can incorporate these supplements into their work so that they better understand the practical applications of the material.
New! A marginal glossary highlights key terms and definitions.
New! An expanded discussion of the Electoral College explains its function in detail.
New! A full-color design provides a lively, engaging display to support concepts.