The United States of America dominates the twenty-first-century world both in military and political power as well as in its cultural influence as a model of the "good life" and a desired destination for migration.
This completely revised and updated second edition of Contemporary America provides an extremely broad-ranging introduction to the society, politics, economy, culture, and world role of the United States. The authors focus on the Clinton and George W. Bush presidencies--and in parti

List of Figures, Maps, Illustrations, Tables, and Boxes
Preface and Acknowledgments to the Second Edition
List of Abbreviations
Map of the United States of America: States and State Capitals
Introduction
1 History
The Rise of a Nation
The Rise to Power
From Isolation to Superpower
The Cold War
The 1990s
2 Land and People
The Land
The People
Regions
Immigration
3 Government
The Constitution
The Federal System
The Branches of Government
4 The Political System
The 2004 Election
Participatory Democracy
Political Parties
Politics
5 Society
Class
The American Family
Women
Race
Crime and Punishment
6 Religion, Education, and Social Policy
Religion
Education
Social Services
7 Culture
Diversity
The Rise of American Culture
Leisure Time
Print Media
Mass Entertainment
Government Activities
The World Wide Web
Sports
The Arts
Popular Music
8 The Economy
The US Domestic Economy
Labor Unions
Business and Industry
Government and Business
The Global Marketplace
The Dollar and the Trade Deficit
9 Foreign Policy
Separation of Powers and Foreign Policy
The Administration of Foreign Policy
History of Foreign Policy
The Cold War, 1945-1991
The New World Order
The Bush Administration
10 Conclusion
The Home Front
Foreign Affairs
Conclusion
Appendix: Constitution of the United States
Recommended Reading
America on the Internet
Bibliography

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