Investigating the political power of local governments: The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States

What are the civic, social, and economic issues facing American cities? How much control do the cities have over these issues? Launching today, The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States examines cities as centers for political activity in the past, present, and future.

“City governments are now significantly expanding beyond their traditional functions, engaging with issues at the heart of our most pressing political debates,” write editors Christine Kelleher Palus and Richardson Dilworth. “For instance, cities are trailblazers in terms of integrating environmental sustainability into the routines of everyday life. Understanding cities—and the host of varied public policies that their leaders wrestle with every day—has never been more important.”

The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States contains articles from over fifty scholars and practitioners across a range of disciplines, such as public administration, urban planning, public health, sociology, history, and political science. Organized into seven sections, the text examines:

• How American cities have developed over time
• How various city governments allocate power across city officials and agencies
• How civic and social forces work with local government bodies and impact their policies
• What patterns of public goods and services cities produce for their residents
• The dynamics of service delivery
• How cities address the issues and policies surrounding inequality and economic development
• How cities play a role in different environmental and public health initiatives

The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States also includes data and tables on major historical figures, such as mayors; and historical developments, such as population growth, size of city budgets, and much more. Available in both print and electronic formats, the text contains a bibliographic essay, detailed index, and informative sidebars. Each chapter concludes with sections on References & Further Readings and Cross References to related chapters (available as links in the e-version).

“The services that city governments provide are of critical importance to the most basic of needs and desires of residents, facilitating both individual and collective aspirations,” continue the editors. “Thus, it is imperative that students of politics have a strong knowledge of and appreciation for the complexities of urban history, policy, and government. An openness to critically engaging with these topics is central to the quality of our neighborhoods, the health of our cities, and the overall functioning of democracy in America’s urban landscape.”

For more information, click here. A FREE online trial of SAGE Knowledge, including The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States is available by emailing librarysales@sagepub.com.

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The CQ Press Guide to Urban Politics and Policy in the United States

March 2016                                                 488 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4833-5003-5            Print Price: $185.00

eISBN: 978-1-4833-5001-1

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Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 950 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Our growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company’s continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. www.sagepublishing.com

CQ Press, an imprint of SAGE, is a leading publisher of books, reference content, periodicals, and digital products on American government, public policy, and international affairs. Known for its objectivity and breadth and depth of coverage, CQ Press consistently ranks among the top academic and professional publishers for its high-quality content and scholarship. CQ Press was founded with the mission of promoting democracy through education and joined the SAGE family in 2008. www.cqpress.com