1. Introduction to State and Community Politics
2. The Constitutional Environment of State and Local Government
3. The Intergovernment Framework for State and Community Politics
4. Channels of Citizen Influence: Participation, Public Opinion, and Interest Groups
5. Channels of Citizen Influence: The Ballot Box, Parties, and Direct Action
6. The Institutions of Local Government
7. The Dynamics of Community Politics
8. State Legislatures and Public Policy
9. Governors and the Challenge of Executive Leadership
10. Administrators and the Implementation of Policy
11. Courts, Crime, and Corrections in American Studies
12. Financing State and Local Government
13. Poverty and Social Welfare Policies
14. Education
15. Infrastructure Policies: Transportation, Housing, and Community Development
16. Regulating the Environment
17. State and Community Economic Development Policies
Appendix: Career Prospects in State and Local Government
