James Q. Wilson is one of AmericaOs most distinguished public policy scholars. This quintessential volume brings together decades of his writing and thinking on all facets of American culture, society, and government. Wilson muses about the changing nature of American politics, terrorism and extremism, the role of the media, the intersection of science, religion, and politics, and the revival of the old-fashioned notion of Ocharacter.O

James Q. Wilson is one of America’s preeminent public policy scholars. For decades, he has analyzed the changing political and cultural landscape with clarity and honesty, bringing his wisdom to bear on all facets of American government and society. American Politics, Then & Now is a collection of fifteen of Wilson’s most insightful essays–drawing on thirty years of his observations on religion, crime, the media, terrorism and extremism, and the old-fashioned notion of “character.” Readers of every political persuasion will come away from this volume with a new understanding of how American politics and culture have evolved over the last half-century. These essays are not “the grumpy words of a conservative who can’t be reconciled to the realities of contemporary American life,” Wilson writes. Rather, they are straight talk from a painstaking empiricist and consummate social scientist who believes in American exceptionalism. American Politics, Then & Now is a compelling portrait of a beloved nation.

Part 1 Acknowlegements
Part 2 Preface
Part 3 Part 1: The Changing Nature of American Politics
Chapter 4 1: American Politics Then and Now
Chapter 5 2: "Public Intelectuals" and Public Policy
Chapter 6 3: The Rediscovery of Charcter: Private Virtue and Public Policy
Chapter 7 4: The Press at War
Chapter 8 5: Defining the "Peace Party"
Chapter 9 6: Bowling with Others
Chapter 10 7: How Divided Are We?
Part 11 Part 2: Religion and Politics
Chapter 12 8: Religion and Polarization
Chapter 13 9: Why Don't Jews Like Christians Who Like Them?
Chapter 14 10: What Makes a Terrorist?
Chapter 15 11: The Reform Islam Needs
Chapter 16 12: Islam and Freedom
Chapter 17 13: Democracy for All?
Part 18 Part 3: Heredity and Politics
Chapter 19 14: The DNA of Politics: Genes Shape Our Beliefs, Our Values, and Even Our Votes
Chapter 20 15: The Future of Blame
Part 21 Conclusion: America Versus the World
Part 22 Index
Part 23 About the Author