The New Politics of the Old South - 8th Edition by Charles S Bullock III & Mark J Rozell (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Now in its eight edition, The New Politics of the Old South is the best and most comprehensive analysis and history of political behavior and shifting demographics in America's southern states. Edited by leading scholars Charles S. Bullock III and Mark J. Rozell, this book has been updated through the 2024 elections to provide the most accurate and useful snapshot of the state of southern politics, and the ways in which they have developed over time. The southern electorate is a fascinating, dynamic body politic, and the study of its evolution is paramount to understanding the broader political developments occurring at a national level. While accessible to any interested reader, this edition illuminates the South's essential and growing role in the study, and the story, of American politics.

This new edition addresses the most recent round of statewide contests from the 2024 election-from gubernatorial, congressional, and state legislative races to the presidential race, especially significant in Georgia and North Carolina. A major theme in this eighth edition is the increasing population diversification, especially in the Growth States. Texas is now a plurality Hispanic state. Georgia may well be a majority-minority state today. The growing diversification in Georgia has recently become manifest within the General Assembly. In 2023 two new caucuses were created, one for Hispanics and the other for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The latter, with 11 members, is the largest of its kind in the nation. Even as Asians and Hispanics begin to enter southern legislatures, a few of them are Republicans. Republicans have also made some gains among Black voters and Black officeholders. These themes will also be explored in states as appropriate.

Review Quotes

"Bullock and Rozell have another winner in the latest edition of The New Politics of the Old South. A fantastic text for courses in southern politics-and state and local politics more generally-the eighth edition provides a thoughtful and informative overview of the dynamics that have driven recent political change in the region. The text also features chapters on the current political scene in each of the southern states, chapters written by esteemed local experts in every case. This is really a valuable resource." --Irwin Morris, North Carolina State University

"The New Politics of the Old South, eighth edition, exhibits the standards and quality of previous editions. I have used this book in my class on southern politics for many years, as it expands so well on the monumental research of V.O. Key. Like Key, the authors of this edition are all committed scholars who provide the reader with a clear profile of not only the South in general but the uniqueness of each southern state. The writing is scholarly and yet applicable to students, political observers, and the intellectually curious. The profile of the 2022 midterm and the wild ride that was the 2024 presidential election cycle reminds us of why we still study the uniqueness of the South." --Lori Owens, Jacksonville State University

"The New Politics of the Old South, eighth edition, remains an indispensable text for any undergraduate or graduate level course focused on the politics and governance of the South and its states. No other text can match the depth and breadth of its analysis of the politics of the Old South. This book is my go-to source for understanding the politics of each individual southern state and the region as a whole." --Joseph A. Aistrup, Auburn University

About the Author

Charles S. Bullock, III is Richard B. Russell Professor of Political Science and Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Georgia.

Mark J. Rozell is the founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.