Transforming America

Steven E. Schier is Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science at Carleton College. He is the author or editor of eleven books, most recently Panorama of a Presidency: How George W. Bush Acquired and Spent His Political Capital and numerous scholarly and media articles.

This is a marvelous collection of first-rate essays by some of the top scholars in their fields. It clears away a great deal of the underbrush and helps us understand the core strengths and weaknesses of President Obama's efforts to be a transformative president amid enormous challenges.

• Chapter 1 Introduction: Obama's "Big Bang" PresidencyChapter 2 Historical and Electoral PerspectivesChapter 3 From Reconstruction to Recession: The First Phase of the Obama Presidency in Historical ContextChapter 4 Caught Between Hope and History: Obama, Public Opinion, and the 2010 ElectionsChapter 5 Parties as a Resource for Presidential Leadership: The Case of Barack ObamaChapter 6 Obama, Religious Politics, and the Culture WarsChapter 7 Washington GovernanceChapter 8 Accomplishments and Miscalculations of the Obama PresidencyChapter 9 Asymmetric Warfare: Supporters and Opponents of President ObamaChapter 10 Small Ball in the Long Game: Barack Obama and CongressChapter 11 A Transformative Politics of Judicial Selection? President Obama and the Federal JudiciaryChapter 12 Policy LegaciesChapter 13 Obama and Social Policy: Acclamation or Alienation among Women, Minorities, and Gays?Chapter 14 The Obama Administration and the Great RecessionChapter 15 The Obama Presidency: A Foreign Policy of Change?Chapter 16 Conclusion: How Transformative a Presidency?