Political Science: Encyclopedias, Dictionaries and Handbooks

An encyclopedia unlike any other, this work focuses on lobbying, corruption, and political influence in America to inspire readers to think critically about the U.S. government and to appreciate the opportunities of citizenship.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History brings together, in one authoritative reference work, an unparalleled wealth of information about the laws, institutions, and actors that have governed America throughout its history. Embracing the interconnectedness of politics and law, The Encyclopedia addresses all aspects of both spheres, from presidents and Supreme Court justices to specifics of policy history, critical legislation, and party formation. Entries capture the unique nature of the nation's founding principlesembodied in the Constitution, the expansive nature of American democracy, political conflict, and compromise, and the emergence of the modern welfare and regulatory state, all of which evince the tensions, contradictions, and possibilities manifest throughout America's history. Clearly demonstratinghow US politics and law have evolved since the colonial era, The Encyclopedia encourages readers to anticipate further changes. With over 450 articles by expert scholars, each signed entry features numerous cross references and discussion of political and legal history as well as additional sources for further study. This two-volume A-to-Z compendium is a reference work of unparalleled depth and scope and will introduce anew generation of readers to the complexities of this dynamic field of study. It also features extensive cross-referencing, a topical outline, and a subject index.

The Populist Movement was founded in the late 1800s when farmers and other agrarian workers formed cooperative societies to fight exploitation by big banks and corporations. Today, populism encompasses both right-wing and left-wing movements, organizations, and icons. This valuable encyclopedia examines how ordinary people have voiced their opposition to the prevailing political, economic, and social constructs of the past as well how the elite or leaders at the time have reacted to that opposition. The entries spotlight the people, events, organizations, and ideas that created this first major challenge to the two-party system in the United States. Additionally, attention is paid to important historical actors who are not traditionally considered "Populist" but were instrumental in paving the way for the movement or vigorously resisted Populism's influence on American culture. This encyclopedia also shows that Populism as a specific movement, and populism as an idea, have served alternately to further equal rights in America and to limit them. "

If the sheer number of references to human rights in media headlines or government statements is of any guidance, human rights concerns now appear virtually at the center of the framework of the norms, principles, and obligations that shape relations within the international community both among and within states. That political journey began, perhaps arbitrarily, on 10 December, 1948, when the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) embraced and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a ringing endorsement and advocacy of the notion that regardless of race, religion or nationality, all men and women, everywhere in the world are entitled to the human rights and fundamental freedoms simply because they are human. The Historical Dictionary of Human Rights covers the history of the Human Rights movement through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 1000 cross-referenced entries on terminology, conventions, treaties, intergovernmental organizations in the United Nations family or regional bodies, and the constantly expanding universe of non-governmental organizations, as well as some of the pioneers and defenders. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Human Rights movement.

Definitions of the welfare state often focus on how and why a state intervenes in the economy and welfare of the individual citizen. A welfare state does not, however, have to mean state intervention; it may merely reflect the state s restrictions and the demands of the labor market, families, and the rest of civil society. This book covers the history of the welfare state from Chancellor Otto von Bismarck s reforms in Germany starting in 1883 to the present day. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of the Welfare State covers the history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 hundred cross-referenced entries that focus on the definitions and concepts that are the most relevant, long lasting, and important concepts. It provides insights from major areas in social science, including sociology, economics, political science, and social work. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the welfare state."

While the United States has had some kind of intelligence capability throughout its history, its intelligence apparatus is young, dating only to the period immediately after World War II. Yet, in that short a time, it has undergone enormous changes from the labor-intensive espionage and covert action establishment of the 1950s to a modern enterprise that relies heavily on electronic data, technology, satellites, airborne collection platforms, and unmanned aerial vehicles, to name a few. This second edition covers the history of United States intelligence, and includes several key features: .Chronology .Introductory essay .Appendixes .Bibliography .Over 600 cross-referenced entries on key events, issues, people, operations, laws, regulations This book is an excellent access point for members of the intelligence community; students, scholars, and historians; legal experts; and general readers wanting to know more about the history of U.S. intelligence."

This handbook provides a comprehensive and authoritative survey of Global Environmental Politics. It brings together leading international academic experts and features 40 chapters that: Describe the history of global environmental politics as a discipline and explain the various theories and perspectives used by scholars and students to understand it. Examine the key actors and institutions in global environmental politics, explaining the role of states, international organizations, regimes, international law, foreign policy institutions, domestic politics, corporations and transnational actors. Address the ideas and themes shaping the practice and study of global environmental politics, including sustainability, consumption, expertise, uncertainty, security, diplomacy, North-South relations, globalisation, justice, ethics, participation and citizenship. Assess the key issues and policies within global environmental politics, including energy, climate change, ozone depletion, air pollution, acid rain, sustainable transport, persistent organic pollutants, hazardous wastes, water, rivers, wetlands, oceans, fisheries, marine mammals, biodiversity, migratory species, natural heritage, forests, desertification, food and agriculture. This book is an invaluable resource to students, scholars, researchers and practioners of environmental politics, environmental studies, environmental science and geography.

Since the early 1990s, a series of major scandals in both the financial and most especially the political world has resulted in close attention being paid to the issue of corruption and its links to political legitimacy and stability. Indeed, in many countries - in both the developed as well as the developing world - corruption seems to have become almost an obsession. Concern about corruption has become a powerful policy narrative: the explanation of last resort for a whole range of failures and disappointments in the fields of politics, economics and culture. In the more established democracies, worries about corruption have become enmeshed in a wider debate about trust in the political class. Corruption remains as widespread today, possibly even more so, as it was when concerted international attention started being devoted to the issue following the end of the Cold War. This Handbook provides a showcase of the most innovative and exciting research being conducted in Europe and North America in the field of political corruption, as well as providing a new point of reference for all who are interested in the topic. The Handbook is structured around four core themes in the study of corruption in the contemporary world: understanding and defining the nature of corruption; identifying its causes; measuring its extent; and analysing its consequences. Each of these themes is addressed from various perspectives in the first four sections of the Handbook, whilst the fifth section explores new directions that are emerging in corruption research. The contributors are experts in their field, working across a range of different social-science perspectives.

Discover the depth of government information and services available online. The United States Government Internet Directory serves as a guide to the changing landscape of government information online. The Directory is an indispensable guidebook for anyone who is looking for official U.S. government resources on the Web. The U.S. government's online information is massive and can be difficult to locate. Many government sites are part of the "Deep Web" with content that does not surface or surface easily with even the most popular search engines. It is more important than ever to have a source that serves as an authoritative guide to the federal Web. The United States Government Internet Directory navigates the maze of data and locates the materials that you seek. The subject-based approach of this book allows you to browse for relevant sites in your field of interest rather than sift through hundreds of search results or try to guess which federal agency to consult. Researchers, business people, teachers, students, and citizens in the United States and around the world can navigate the labyrinthine federal Web with The United States Government Internet Directory. The Directory: .contains more than 1,800 Web site records, organized into 21 subject themed chapters .includes topics on a wide-range of subjects including employment, energy, defense and intelligence, culture and recreation, and much more .provides descriptions and URLs for each site .describes sites to help you choose the proper resource .notes the useful or unique aspects of the site .lists some of the major government publications hosted on the site .contains useful, up-to-date organizational charts for the major federal government agencies .provides a roster of congressional members with member's Web sites .lists House and Senate Committees with committee URLs .includes a one-page Quick Guide to the major federal agencies and the leading online library, data source, and finding aid sites .identifies the major government Web sites related to the global recession and new government economic recovery programs The 2014 edition contains two new appendixes which provide information on U.S embassies abroad as well as foreign embassies in the United States."

This latest volume in the CQ Press series on vital statistics in American politics tackles interest groups and lobbying.  This book builds from data that has been collected and organized from disclosure forms now required to be filed by registered lobbyists.  After providing background about the Lobbying Disclosure Act, the book explores such questions as:  When do organizations register to lobby?  What are the characteristics of lobbying organizations (varying from professional and trade associations to businesses, coalitions, public interest groups, and intergovernmental groups)?  How extensively do organizations lobby on issues?  What sorts of efforts do they exert across Congress, the White House, and the various federal agencies?  What is involved in terminations of lobbying firms and organizations?  What sorts of issues and organizations are most often targeted?  And what sorts of moneys are spent and how?