E-grāmata: Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior

Aimed at the student and lay reader, this two-volume encyclopedia, put together by Warren (political science, St. Louis U.), contains some 450 alphabetical entries written by historical, sociological, and electoral behavior scholars on electoral politics in the United States. Major themes addressed by the encyclopedia include ballot issues campaigns; campaigns, elections, and the law; corruption in American campaigns and elections; electoral behavior of various groups; local campaigns and elections; the media role; significant people; political parties and interest groups; political theory and democratic elections; polls and public opinion; presidential campaigns and elections; reforming campaigns and elections; political campaign management, organization, and strategies; social and psychological dynamics of electoral behavior and state and congressional campaigns and elections. Entries discuss common terms such as coattail effect and dark horse candidate; important historical and contemporary issues from the eight-hour day to the "War on Terror;" every presidential election since 1789; and the electoral politics of every state, among other topics. Entries on minor parties such as the now obscure Greenback-Labor Party are included. Each entry includes "see also" references to other entries and a bibliography. The coverage extends through 2007. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"Overall, a first-rate resource, and yes, pleasantly readable."
—School Library Journal


The Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior covers virtually everything one would want to know about American political campaigns. With more than 450 entries, these two comprehensive volumes present a significant array topics of campaigns, elections, and electoral behavior. The encyclopedia's diverse content shows that although the subject matter of campaigns, elections, and electoral behavior is inherently related, each topic has a distinct focus.

Key Features

• Presents topics in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner, intentionally avoiding unnecessary technical language
• Includes entries written by electoral behavior scholars from around the country
• Focuses on American campaigns, elections, and electoral behavior but also provides a culturally and politically diverse perspective of American democratic practices and institutions
• Offers a rich campaign history by looking at many colorful candidates, corrupt yet intriguing political machines, rapidly changing technologies, campaign organizations, and strategies
• Provides a description and scholarly analysis for all presidential elections, including state and general elections
• Presents and simplifies complicated election laws that govern federal, state, and local elections
• Examines various efforts throughout the decades to reform elections, especially from social upheaval and the resulting political realignments
• Includes extensive electoral research into the development of political opinions, attitudes, and ideologies in American voters

Key Themes

• Ballot Issue Campaigns
• Campaigns, Elections and the Law
• Corruption in American Campaigns and Elections
• Electoral Behavior of Various Groups
• Local Campaigns and Elections
• Media's Role in American Campaigns and Elections
• People
• Political Parties, Interest Groups, and American Campaigns and Elections
• Political Theory and Democratic Elections in America
• Polls, Public Opinion, and Campaigns and Elections
• Presidential Campaigns and Elections
• Reforming American Campaigns and Elections
• Running Political Campaigns: Management, Organization, and Strategies
• Social and Psychological Dynamics of Electoral Behavior
• State and Congressional Campaigns and Elections: History and State Profiles

The Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior is an especially useful reference, published to coincide with the 2008 presidential election. This informative yet intriguing resource is a welcome addition to any academic or public library.