US politics today introduces the key features of contemporary American politics but also considers the strengths and weaknesses of a system that is now faced by serious divisions and gripped by tensions. The Trump presidency has placed a question mark against policies and institutions that were once seen as unassailable.

US politics today not only introduces the defining features of contemporary American politics but also considers the strengths and weaknesses of a system that is now under serious strain.The book is ideal for students, teaching staff and the general reader. It outlines the ways in which the Constitution shapes the politics of today, surveys the role of the presidency, Congress and the federal courts, and examines processes of political participation through elections, organized interests and parties. It pays particular attention to Barack Obama and Donald Trump’s turbulent years in office and the ways in which recent decades have reshaped the US political landscape.US politics today also places the US in a comparative context and considers key theoretical perspectives. In sum, the book not only provides an indispensable introduction to contemporary American politics but establishes a basis for informed commentary and further study.

List of tables
Preface
1 The US Constitution
2 The US Congress
3 The Presidency and the Executive Branch
4 The US Supreme Court
5 US democracy and participation: elections
6 Political participation: parties and interests
7 Putting US politics in context: theories and comparisons

US politics today not only introduces the defining features of contemporary American politics but also considers the strengths and weaknesses of a system that is now under serious strain. The book is ideal for students, teaching staff and the general reader. It outlines the ways in which the Constitution shapes the politics of today, surveys the role of the presidency, Congress and the federal courts, and examines processes of political participation through elections, organized interests and parties. It pays particular attention to Barack Obama and Donald Trump’s turbulent years in office and the ways in which recent decades have reshaped the US political landscape.US politics today also places the US in a comparative context and considers key theoretical perspectives. In sum, the book not only provides an indispensable introduction to contemporary American politics but establishes a basis for informed commentary and further study.