Coauthor Hahrie Han’s dynamic research into the ways in which people come together to solve problems was recently recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship, and is at the center of American Government: A Brief Introduction. The book’s accessible case study framework, featuring three new case studies in the Nineteenth Edition, introduces students to individuals engaging with government, many of whom were pulled directly from Han’s research. These case studies illustrate how people’s lives and government intersect, while helping students explore the concepts and processes of American government. 

Han introduces each case study with a chapter-opening author video in the Norton Illumine Ebook and then weaves it throughout the chapter with markers indicating where these discussions continue. By the end of the chapter, students can answer one of the book’s central questions: If, when, and how do people matter in the American political system? Additional features and pedagogy in the Norton Illumine Ebook, including interactive versions of the Thinking Through the Evidence features, help students make sense of data and see how they can use evidence to answer questions about American government.

Highlights of this edition’s new content:

• Four new Thinking Through the Evidence features from the next generation of top scholars introduce students to contemporary research and help them explore how data can provide answers to questions about American government. Each infographic is accompanied by a dynamic data figure and Check Your Understanding questions in the Norton Illumine Ebook, making these features interactive and assignable.
• Three new case studies leverage research by Hahrie Han to provide a real-life example of government in action and introduce students to the concepts and key ideas.
• Two new Timeplot figures illustrate data trends over time and help students use data to make sense of American politics.
• New coverage of the Trump administration’s second term in Chapter 5 Congress: The First Branch, Chapter 7: The Presidency as an Institution, and Chapter 9: The Federal Courts explores the growth of presidential power—as well as Constitutional checks on presidential power—through his successes and setbacks moving his agenda forward while interacting with the other institutions of American government.
• New coverage of the 2026 midterm elections looks at the Congressional candidates, races, and results to provide insights into what voters cared about and what the results mean looking forward to the presidential election in 2028. Together with updated data, figures, and images that bring the campaigns to life, students get a behind-the-scenes look at the elections from a true insider, coauthor Steven Ansolabehere who works on the CBS News Decision Desk.