Larry Berman – författare

Foreign Military Intervention brings together prominent scholars in an ambitious and innovative comparative study. The six case studies-the United States in Vietnam, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, Syria in Lebanon, Israel in Lebanon, South Africa and Cuba in Angola, and India in Sri Lanka-constitute a diverse set, involving superpowers and regional powers, democracies and nondemocracies, neighboring states and distant states, and incumbent regimes and insurgent movements.

Foreign Military Intervention brings together prominent scholars in an ambitious and innovative comparative study. The six case studies-the United States in Vietnam, the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, Syria in Lebanon, Israel in Lebanon, South Africa and Cuba in Angola, and India in Sri Lanka-constitute a diverse set, involving superpowers and regional powers, democracies and nondemocracies, neighboring states and distant states, and incumbent regimes and insurgent movements.

By 1968, the United States had committed over 525,000 men to Vietnam and bombed virtually all military targets recommended by the joint Chiefs of Staff. Yet, the United States was no closer to securing its objectives than it had been prior to the Americanization of the war. The long-promised light at the end of the tunnel was a mirage. This absorbing account reveals the bankruptcy of the bombing campaign against North Vietnam, the failures of political reform in South Vietnam and the bitter bureaucratic conflicts between the US government and its military commanders.

"A thoroughly researched and highly perceptive study of the decisions that turned the tribal struggle in Vietnam into an American war. Berman's book fully documents the role of domestic policy in our tragic involvement. As one who watched the process at firsthand. I commend Professor Berman's book for its fairness and insight."— George W. Ball

In the first comprehensive study of the Office of Management and Budget Larry Berman traces its evolution from a once impartial and objective presidential staff agency to The Office of Meddling and Bumbling (TOMB), as it was known by the end of the Nixon administration. In doing so he analyzes both its established role and the subsequent changes in this role as different presidents attempted to respond to a variety of external demands. Originally published in 1979. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

In the first comprehensive study of the Office of Management and Budget Larry Berman traces its evolution from a once impartial and objective presidential staff agency to The Office of Meddling and Bumbling (TOMB), as it was known by the end of the Nixon administration. In doing so he analyzes both its established role and the subsequent changes in this role as different presidents attempted to respond to a variety of external demands. Originally published in 1979. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Now that the front page belongs to George Bush, what are analysts saying about Ronald Reagan? And how will the Reagan legacy shape policy and politics into the next century? "Looking Back on the Reagan Presidency" offers the latest thinking of nineteen leading president-watchers. Edited by Larry Berman, the volume appraises the administration's policies and initiatives and speculates about what the Reagan years will mean to the future. Robert Pastor describes Reagan's failure in Latin America and the problems that remain for Bush. Condoleezza Rice examines the unexpected transformation of relations with the Soviets. Walter Murphy looks at Reagan's far-reaching impact on the courts. Additional discussions of congressional relations, tax policy, electoral politics, the institution of the presidency-- and an insightful Afterword by Richard Neustadt-- make this a challenging and comprehensive look at the "Reagan Revolution". No president since F.D.R. so redefined the parameters of political debate in America. Yet for all his popular success, Reagan's lasting influence is far from clear. What will his legacy mean to future generations?"Looking Back on the Reagan Presidency" is a fascinating preview from the scholars who will find the history in the Reagan years.

Democracy cannot be taken for granted, whether at home or internationally, and eternal vigilance (along with civic intelligence) is required to protect it. Approaching Democracy provides students with a framework to analyze the structure, process, and action of US government, institutions, and social movements. It also invites comparison with other countries. This globalizing perspective gives students an understanding of issues of governance and challenges to democracy here and elsewhere. At a moment of political hyper-partisanship, economic tensions, media misinformation, hyper-partisanship, and anxieties about the future of civil rights, this is the ideal time to introduce Approaching Democracy--a textbook based on Vaclav Havel’s powerful metaphor of democracy as an ideal and the American experiment as the closest approach to it--to a new generation of political science undergraduate students.NEW TO THE TENTH EDITIONUpdated to reflect the results of the 2022 midterm elections and explore the implications of Congressional redistricting, voting suppression, and voting rights legislationCovers the first two years of the Biden administration and provides a thorough retrospective on the Trump presidency—including updates on the January 6 Commission findings and the Justice department’s investigation into Trump’s alleged misappropriation of classified government documentsPresents the developments on the Supreme Court including the appointment of its two newest justices and major recent decisions including controversial rulings on reproductive health, the separation of church and state, and the environmentExplores the revival of NATO and other international alliances in the context of the Russian invasion of UkraineNew and updated material has also been provided regarding gun control, healthcare, labor rights, immigration, economic policy, COVID-19’s lingering impacts, and the ongoing struggle for social and racial justice in America

Democracy cannot be taken for granted, whether at home or internationally, and eternal vigilance (along with civic intelligence) is required to protect it. Approaching Democracy provides students with a framework to analyze the structure, process, and action of US government, institutions, and social movements. It also invites comparison with other countries. This globalizing perspective gives students an understanding of issues of governance and challenges to democracy here and elsewhere. At a moment of political hyper-partisanship, economic tensions, media misinformation, hyper-partisanship, and anxieties about the future of civil rights, this is the ideal time to introduce Approaching Democracy--a textbook based on Vaclav Havel’s powerful metaphor of democracy as an ideal and the American experiment as the closest approach to it--to a new generation of political science undergraduate students.NEW TO THE TENTH EDITIONUpdated to reflect the results of the 2022 midterm elections and explore the implications of Congressional redistricting, voting suppression, and voting rights legislationCovers the first two years of the Biden administration and provides a thorough retrospective on the Trump presidency—including updates on the January 6 Commission findings and the Justice department’s investigation into Trump’s alleged misappropriation of classified government documentsPresents the developments on the Supreme Court including the appointment of its two newest justices and major recent decisions including controversial rulings on reproductive health, the separation of church and state, and the environmentExplores the revival of NATO and other international alliances in the context of the Russian invasion of UkraineNew and updated material has also been provided regarding gun control, healthcare, labor rights, immigration, economic policy, COVID-19’s lingering impacts, and the ongoing struggle for social and racial justice in America

Approaching Democracy addresses the evolving nature of the American experiment in democratic government. It teaches students the theory and basics of American political science and the nation's political history. It provides the critical thinking skills needed to analyze these evolving relationships.

Addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress on February 1, 1990 Vaclav Havel, a former dissident Czech playwright once imprisoned by his country’s Communist government and later elected president, said “As long as people are people, democracy, in the full sense of the word, will always be no more than an ideal. In this sense, you too are merely approaching democracy. But you have one great advantage: you have been approaching democracy uninterruptedly for more than two hundred years, and your journey toward the horizon has never been disrupted by a totalitarian system.”

Larry Berman and Bruce Allen Murphy are long-time teachers of the Introductory American Political Science course in both large and small public and private universities. Their goal was to write a book that offers a clear and relevant theme in an easily readable format. Both authors enjoy teaching students new methods to empower them to participate in political discourse.

Teaching & Learning Experience

Personalize Learning –MySearchLab with eText provides book-specific assessment, a full eText, and research and writing tools to help students improve their results.

Explore Concepts and Current Events – The eighth edition includes coverage of the changes in the administration of Barack Obama since the 2010 congressional elections, the latest data, coverage of the effect of the Great Recession on American democracy and government, and much more.

Improve Critical Thinking — A tiered system of short summaries and marginal questions appears throughout each chapter to help students master, apply, and analyze the material.

Engage Students – An updated, cleaner design makes the book more accessible and user-friendly. “Test Yourself” quizzes at the end of each chapter provide students with opportunities to check their learning as they go.

Emphasize Learning Outcomes — Each chapter is organized around learning objectives — posed as questions — to give students a precise understanding of the concepts they are meant to understand.

Instructor Support — An Instructor’s Resource Manual, MyTest Test Bank, PowerPoint slides, and Digital Transparency Masters are just some of the resources available for instructors.

Learning Goals

Outline the foundations and evolution of the American democratic system. Analyze current political events in the context of the American history.