California - 11th Edition by David G Lawrence & Jeff Cummins (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

California: The Politics of Diversity examines the diverse and hyperpluralistic nature of California and its people. No other textbook on California politics offers as much coverage and in-depth analysis of the state's political development, institutions, and public policies that have shaped the Golden State into what it is today.

Review Quotes

California: The Politics of Diversity is the gold standard for understanding California's government and politics. No other textbook comes close to its detail and comprehensiveness. A great addition for any class on California.

California: The Politics of Diversity provides a framework to understand the perplexities of the state. Like many California politics textbooks, Lawrence and Cummins provide all the expected chapters, such as those on the executive, legislature, and judiciary, with an exceptional chapter on the budget. The effectiveness of the book is in how it contextualizes the politics of the golden state by using dual themes of diversity and theory and the policy chapters that provide concrete examples of how politics plays out in the largest state in the union.

While it is often said that California is one of the world's most diverse democracies, this book gives concrete meaning to that characterization by exploring the ways in which diversity in our population, our economy, our geography, and our politics shapes our state. Centered around the cohesive theme of how California's diversity impacts its governance, policies, and its hyperpluralistic politics, the newest edition of Lawrence and Cummins's book will help students understand their state's history and its future.

About the Author

Jeff Cummins is Professor of Political Science at California State University, Fresno. He previously worked for the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) in Sacramento where he advised the legislature on budgetary and policy issues. He also worked for the California State Auditor, performing audits of various state agencies. He teaches several courses on California government, including California Politics and Public Budgeting. He is the author of Boom and Bust: The Politics of the California Budget and his publications on state politics and policy have appeared in such journals as State Politics and Policy Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, and American Politics Research. He frequently provides commentary to news media and has been interviewed by National Public Radio (NPR) affiliates, the New York Times, The Economist, the National Journal, the Sacramento Bee, Los Angeles Times, and the Fresno Bee.
David G. Lawrence is professor emeritus of political science at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. As a teacher, scholar, and former public official, he has applied theory and practice to California politics. He served on a city council as mayor pro tem, chaired a regional planning agency, and is former president of the California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG). He currently serves on the Measure A Citizens Oversight Committee, a group that advises the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments on the expenditure of sales tax revenues earmarked for transportation (an estimated $1 billion over 30 years). He is also former president of the California Center for Education in Public Affairs, a consortium of colleges and universities dedicated to helping students better understand California politics through Sacramento seminars and post-election briefings.