The Politics Of Interests: Interest Groups Transformed (Transforming American Politics)

This is a thematically unified survey of current and significant issues affecting interest group politics and scholarship in the USA. Petracca has drawn together interest group scholars and practitioners to write 16 original essays dedicated to making the best and newest research accessable to students at all levels. The mix of perspectives and approaches aims to offer a stimulating analysis of contemporary American interest group activity. Have Special Interests Taken Over The Country, Derailing The Public Agenda And Threatening Representative Democracy? Or Is It Possible That The Maturation Of Interest Group Politics Will Yield A More Pluralistic And Balanced Society? Interest Groups Have Changed Over The Past Two Decades, And So Have The Ways In Which We Study Them. This Volume Charts The Changes In Interest Group Theory, Organization, Activity, And The Influence Of Interest Groups In The United States. Leading Scholars And Practitioners Trace Notable Shifts In Interest Group Politics, Including Challenges To Effective Governance, New Resources And Techniques Of Influence, Patterns Of Representation, And Changing Venues, Targets, And Characteristics Of Interest Group Activity. The Mobilization Of Particular Interests--including Business, Women, Conservatives, And Consumers--is Given Special Attention. Institutional Interactions And Interest Group Evaluations Round Out The Coverage. Sixteen Original Essays Written Especially For This Volume Reflect The Best And Most Current Scholarship In The Field. New Empirical Research, Informed Theoretical Reflection, And Experienced Involvement Are All Rendered Accessible In This Thematically Unified Collection. Petracca Has Drawn Together Leading Text Authors, Cutting-edge Researchers, Established Scholars, And Rising Young Stars To Capture The Attention And Challenge The Thinking Of Both Novice And Serious Students Of Interest Groups. This Compact Yet Diverse Volume Can Provide The Core Of Reading For A Course On Interest Group Politics, Or It Can Supplement One Of The Leading Texts In A Wide Range Of Courses In American Politics. The Distinguished Lineup Of Contributors Promises To Make This Book Must Reading For Scholars, Professionals, And Practitioners, As Well As For Their Students.--book Jacket. The Rediscovery Of Interest Group Politics / Mark P. Petracca -- A Deliberative Theory Of Interest Representation / Jane J. Mansbridge --interest Groups And The Policymaking Process : Sources Of Countervailing Power In America / Andrew S. Mcfarland -- American Interest Groups In Comparative Perspective / Graham K. Wilson -- Interest Group Membership And Organization : Multiple Theories / Paul A. Sabatier -- Triangles, Networks, And Hollow Cores : The Complex Geometry Of Washington Interest Representation / Robert H. Salisbury [and Others] -- Changing Patterns Of Interest Group Activity : A Regional Perspective / Clive S. Thomas, Ronald J. Hrebenar -- The Political Mobilization Of Business / David Plotke. Organized Interests And The Nation's Capitol / John T. Tierney -- Interest Mobilization And The Presidency / Mark A. Peterson --representing The Public Interest : Consumer Groups And The Presidency / Joan Lucco -- Conservative Interest Group Litigation In The Reagan Era And Beyond / Karen O'connor, Bryant Scott Mcfall -- Social Movements As Interest Groups : The Case Of The Women's Movement / Anne N. Costain --money, Technology, And Political Interests : The Direct Marketing Of Politics / R. Kenneth Godwin -- The Rise And Fall Of Special Interest Politics / Paul E. Peterson -- The Future Of An Interest Group Society / Mark P. Petracca. Edited By Mark P. Petracca. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 373-402) And Index. Have special interests taken over the country, derailing the public agenda and threatening representative democracy? Or is it possible that the maturation of interest group politics will yield a more pluralistic and balanced society? Interest groups have changed over the past two decades, and so have the ways in which we study them. This volume charts the changes in interest group theory, organization, activity, and the influence of interest groups in the United States and beyond.Leading scholars and practitioners trace notable shifts in interest group politics, including challenges to effective governance, new resources and techniques of influence, patterns of representation, and changing venues, targets, and characteristics of interest group activity. The mobilization of particular interestsincluding business, women, conservatives, and consumersis given special attention. Institutional interactions and interest group evaluations round out the coverage.Sixteen original essays written especially for this volume reflect the best and most current scholarship in the field. New empirical research, informed theoretical reflection, and experienced involvement are all rendered accessable in this thematically unified collection. Petracca has drawn together leading text authors, cutting-edge researchers, established scholars, and rising young stars to capture the attention and challenge the thinking of both novice and serious students of interest groups.This compact yet comprehensive volume can provide the core of reading for a course on interest group politics, or it can supplement one of the leading texts in a wide range of courses in American politics. The distinguished lineup of contributors promises to make this book must reading for scholars, professionals, and practitioners, as well as for their students. Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- PART ONE APPROACHES TO INTEREST GROUPS -- 1 The Rediscovery of Interest Group Politics -- 2 A Deliberative Theory of Interest Representation -- 3 Interest Groups and the Policymaking Process: Sources of Countervailing Power in America -- 4 American Interest Groups in Comparative Perspective -- PART TWO THE ORGANIZATION OF INTERESTS -- 5 Interest Group Membership and Organization: Multiple Theories -- 6 Triangles, Networks, and Hollow Cores: The Complex Geometry of Washington Interest Representation -- 7 Changing Patterns of Interest Group Activity: A Regional Perspective -- 8 The Political Mobilization of Business -- PART THREE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND INTEREST GROUPS -- 9 Organized Interests and the Nation's Capitol -- 10 Interest Mobilization and the Presidency -- 11 Representing the Public Interest: Consumer Groups and the Presidency -- 12 Conservative Interest Group Litigation in the Reagan Era and Beyond -- PART FOUR INTEREST GROUP ACTIVITY AND INFLUENCE -- 13 Social Movements as Interest Groups: The Case of the Women's Movement -- 14 Money, Technology, and Political Interests: The Direct Marketing of Politics -- 15 The Rise and Fall of Special Interest Politics -- PART FIVE LOOKING AHEAD -- 16 The Future of an Interest Group Society -- Appendix: The Changing State of Interest Group Research -- References -- About the Book and Editor -- About the Contributors -- Index This book charts the changes in interest group theory, organization, activity, and the influence of interest groups in the United States. It offers assessments of interest group activity in three national political institutions: the presidency, Congress, and the courts. A thematically unified survey of current and significant issues affecting interest group politics and scholarship in the USA. The mix of perspectives and approaches aims to ensure a stimulating analysis of contemporary American interest group activity.