Practicing Texas Politics, 2017-2018 Edition (Texas: It's a State of MindTap) - Softcover

Brown, Lyle; Langenegger, Joyce A.; Garcia, Sonia; Biles, Robert E.; Rynbrandt, Ryan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1305952022 ISBN 13: 9781305952027

Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2017

Synopsis

PRACTICING TEXAS POLITICS, 2017-2018 Edition, analyzes the practices and policies of the Lone Star State and gives you a realistic introduction to how public-policy making is conducted there. This edition includes a special focus on the role of a growing Latino population in all aspects of Texas government, the impact of the 2016 elections on the state, and the effect of a floundering oil and gas industry on state finances. MindTap Political Science, Cengage Learning's fully online learning solution, is an option with this text. With MindTap, everything is in one place -- the eBook, activities, flashcards, quizzes, dictionary, and more -- making study time more effective and efficient.

About this title

About the Author:

Lyle C. Brown is professor emeritus of political science at Baylor University, where he served as departmental director of graduate studies and director of Baylor's Foreign Service Program. A former president of the Southwestern Council of Latin American Studies, Dr. Brown is the co-editor of RELIGION IN LATIN AMERICAN LIFE AND LITERATURE and the author of numerous articles. His international academic experience includes teaching at Mexico City College (now University of the Americas) and postgraduate study at the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico. He received his M.A. from the University of Oklahoma and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Joyce Langenegger teaches government at Blinn College and is the college's executive director of academic success. She is a frequent workshop presenter on innovative teaching strategies. Named to the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" listing, Dr. Langenegger has been honored with a NISOD Teaching Excellence Award, a Blinn College-Bryan Teacher of the Year award and a San Jacinto College "Most Valuable Player" award for her work as a professor and administrator at that institution. Before beginning her teaching career, Dr. Langenegger practiced law in Houston. She received M.A. and J.D. degrees from Baylor University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Fielding Graduate University.

Sonia Garcia is a professor of political science, coordinator of the women's studies program and a pre-law advisor at St. Mary's University in San Antonio. She also has served as chair and graduate director of the political science department. In addition to publishing numerous articles on Latina politics, Dr. Garcia is a co-author of MEXICAN AMERICANS AND THE LAW: EL PUEBLO UNIDO JAMÁS SERÁ VENCIDO and lead author of POLÍTICAS: LATINA PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN TEXAS. She received her master's degree from the University of Arizona and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Robert E. Biles, professor emeritus and former chair of political science at Sam Houston State University, has taught college students about Texas politics in Texas, Colombia, and Ecuador. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University-School of Advanced International Studies. Dr. Biles is the author of numerous books and articles. His involvement in politics includes serving as a school board member, county party chair, county election supervisor, and staff member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has advised state agencies and held leadership positions in statewide lobbying groups and professional organizations. Dr. Biles has received four Fulbright grants, as well as awards for his research, teaching, and administrative service.

Ryan Rynbrandt is a professor of political science and former director of the Honors Institute at Collin College in Plano, Texas, where he teaches courses in American and Texas Government. Professor Rynbrandt works to increase student civic engagement. He is especially committed to initiatives that bring the resources of higher education to bear in addressing problems in the broader community. He earned his master's degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he received multiple teaching awards and served as president of the Graduate Association of Political Scientists. He has been active in politics at the local, state, and national levels.

Review:

"Practicing Texas Politics is a friendly text for introductory Texas government students. It is organized well, offers features to aid students in reading and self-learning, outlines key learning objectives that may be used in assessment, and provides rich examples and graphics for instruction. It covers the range of topics essential to an introductory government course, including the Texas constitution, federalism, political parties, interest groups, the media, and the three branches of government, yet it has the added benefit of focusing on public policy. Woven throughout the text is discussion of and attention paid to modern policy issues evolving in Texas, including but not limited to healthcare expansion, education financing, death penalty, pollution, drought. This focus makes the text interesting for students and valuable for instructors."

"Very informative presentation of Texas Government. Great contemporary examples using multimedia to assist student learning outcomes."

"The text chapter to chapter gives a starting point for real in-depth analysis of the political process."

About this edition

• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1305952022
• ISBN 13: 9781305952027
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 592