Illinois Politics

A Citizen’s Guide to Power, Politics, and Government
Author: Melissa Mouritsen, Kent D. Redfield, and James D. Nowlan
A revised and updated edition of Illinois Politics: A Citizen's Guide
Cloth – $125
978-0-252-04587-5
Paper – $22.95
978-0-252-08797-4
eBook – $14.95
978-0-252-05675-8
Publication Date
Paperback: 08/06/2024
Cloth: 08/06/2024
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About the Book

Shifting demographics. Downstate versus Chicago. Billionaires and bribery. Even veteran observers need a roadmap to track Illinois’ ever-changing political landscape. Melissa Mouritsen, Kent D. Redfield, and James D. Nowlan provide an up-to-date primer on Prairie State politics, government, and policies. Features include:· Discussions of recent events like the 2015-2017 budget disaster, the response to COVID-19, and the fall of longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan;· New chapters on corruption, social policies, and the political rules of the game;· Perspectives on the nuts-and-bolts of campaign funding, the ways political actors acquire power or influence, and many other topics;· Close examinations of complex issues like the state’s increased polarization and its ongoing fiscal recovery.Fully revised and expanded, Illinois Politics blends detailed information with expert analysis to offer an essential resource for citizens, students, and public servants alike.

About the Author

Melissa Mouritsen is a professor of political science at the College of DuPage and the coeditor of Twenty-First Century Chicago. Kent D. Redfield is emeritus professor of political science at University of Illinois Springfield and the author of Money Counts: How Dollars Dominate Illinois Politics and What We Can Do About It. James D. Nowlan writes the newspaper column “Understanding Illinois” for the Illinois Press Association. He is the author of Politics, the Starter Kit: How to Succeed in Politics and Government.

Reviews


Blurbs

“Mouritsen, Redfield, and Nowlan have written the definitive book on Illinois politics in the early twenty-first century. They document the major changes that have occurred in Illinois politics and government in the last couple of decades, through a series of failed governorships, political scandals, the rise of Trump, and increasing polarization between the northeastern corner of the state and the rural areas downstate. In the process, the authors develop a new and up-to-date interpretation of what makes the game of politics work in the Prairie State.”--Christopher Z. Mooney, coauthor of State and Local Politics: Institutions and Reform