Congress Reconsidered

by Lawrence C. Dodd, Bruce I. Oppenheimer

As students and scholars have come to expect from this classic reader, Dodd and Oppenheimer's winning team of distinguished scholars delivers the most up-to-date, accessible, and cutting-edge research on the development of the modern Congress. Over the course of seven editions, this innovative volume was the first to detail and assess the reforms of the 1970s, to trace the rise of a new congressional oligarchy in the 1980s, to recognize the Democrats' tenuous hold on congressional power in the early 1990s, and to chart the historic significance and impact of the new Republican Congress of the past decade. Ever on the forefront of the field, the eighth edition assesses how Congress is responding to the challenges of a new century, from campaign finance reform, heightened partisanship, and renewed deficit spending to international terrorism and the expanding political role of ethnic and racial minorities.

In addition to Dodd and Oppenheimer's timely and cogent assessment of the 2004 elections, contributions--thirteen new to this edition and five completely revised--reflect original scholarship, place new developments within broader historical perspective, and consider the future direction of Congress.

Genres: Politics, Textbooks, Political Science, College, Nonfiction, School

494 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book from a course that I actually Withdrew from in college. It was a very informative read without being too boring.

[Daniel DeButts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay don't hate me, but I actually really liked this. It is a collection of academic articles about Congressional trends and theories over the last one hundred years. Despite the occasionally dry chapter, some of the concepts are novel and fascinating. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Congressional underpinnings.

[J. Tayler Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A required read for school. While insightful, this book was generally difficult to read. It is best for those who are looking to understand American Congress, not for those who are looking for an enjoyable read on American Congress.

[Indira Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

how did i forget to add a textbook to my reading list. Like excuse me, yes, it counts as a book, since it is a book, therefore it counts on reading challenge.

[Nikita Nikishin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good selection of good scholarship. A solid textbook.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

You pretty much get what you expect with this oft-assigned text for courses that study Congress. Essays in the 10-20 page range from many of the more well-respected political scientists on a variety of topics that relate the history, practices, and future of Congress as an institution.

As in any book of this kind, some of the essays are more engaging than others (and some academics are better writers than others). New editions are released every few years, and this may be one of the instances where it is worth a few extra dollars to get a newer version. I read the one from 2008, and some of the articles were already beginning to be dated.

Congress Reconsidered is a fine primer, but if you really want to dig into any of the topics it covers, you will need to find some of the book length treatments of some of the authors of these essays. As an entry point to the literature, it works just as intended.

[John Weibull · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in college and it is still filled with great information about how Congress operates. This is a timely read, especially now when Congress is reasserting its power against the Bush administration.