Craig A. Rimmerman - The New Citizenship: Unconventional Politics, Activism, and Service, Second Edition

Series Editor: Craig A. Rimmerman, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

If the answers to the problems facing U.S. democracy were easy, politicians would solve them, accept credit, and move on. But certain dilemmas have confronted the American political system continuously. They defy solution; they are endemic to the system. Some can best be described as institutional dilemmas: How can Congress be both a representative body and a national decision maker? How can the president communicate with more than 250 million citizens effectively? Why do we have a two-party system when many voters are disappointed with the choices presented to them? Others are policy dilemmas: How do we find compromises on issues that defy compromise, such as abortion policy? How do we incorporate racial and ethnic minorities or immigrant groups into American society, allowing them to reap the benefits of this land without losing their identity? How do we fund health care for our poorest or oldest citizens?

Dilemmas such as these are what propel students toward an interest in the study of U.S. government. Each book in the Dilemmas in American Politics series addresses a real world problem, raising the issues that are of most concern to students. Each is structured to cover the historical and theoretical aspects of the dilemma but also to explore the dilemma from a practical point of view and to speculate about the future. The books are designed as supplements to introductory courses in American politics or as case studies to be used in upperlevel courses. The link among them is the desire to make the real issues confronting the political world come alive in students eyes.

Amy Black

MaryAnne Borrelli

Diana Evans

William Hudson

Josiah Lambert

Ruth Jones

Jay McCann

Barbara Norrander

Karen OConnor

Richard Pacelle

Ellen Riggle

First published 2011 by Westview Press

Published 2018 by Routledge

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Copyright 2011 Taylor & Francis

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rimmerman, Craig A.

The new citizenship : unconventional politics, activism, and service / Craig A. Rimmerman.4th ed.

p. cm.(Dilemmas in American politics)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8133-4457-7 (alk. paper)

1. Political participationUnited States. 2. CitizenshipUnited States. I. Title.

JK1764.R55 2010

323'.0420973dc22

2010003214

ISBN 13: 978-0-8133-4457-7 (pbk)

This book could not have been completed without the support and inspiration of numerous people. I am grateful to series editor L. Sandy Maisel, who was enthusiastic about this project when I proposed it. Sandy is an enormously gifted teacher and scholar, and I am privileged to appear in a series of which he served as editor. For the first edition, Jennifer Knerr, then West-views senior political science editor, offered numerous substantive suggestions along the way. Brenda Hadenfeldt, also at Westview while I was writing, made a number of thoughtful revision suggestions to the original manuscript, and I appreciate her help. Westview editors Leo Wiegman, Adina Popescu, and David Pervin entered the editorial process at a crucial stage, providing their support, dedication, and commitment to this project as well as their general good cheer. I especially want to thank Leo Wiegman for his support, encouragement, and professionalism over the years. I am indebted, as well, to three anonymous reviewers of the first edition, whose suggestions have made this a much better book. I would also like to thank Marian Safran, who did a superb job copyediting both the first and second editions; Shena Redmond, then Westview senior project editor, who guided the first edition of this book through production; and Kay Mariea, who did the same for the second edition. Steve Catalano, Westviews acquisitions editor, was the perfect editor for the third editionsupportive and enthusiastic in every way from start to finish. I have also enjoyed and benefited from my association with Michelle Mallin at Westview Press on all three editions of this book. For the third edition, copy editor Jennifer Swearingen did outstanding work, and Iris Richmond ensured that the book was published in a timely manner. In sum, I could not have asked for finer editors with whom to work.