SPRINGFIELD – Christopher Mooney, professor of Political Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, is the co-author, with Todd Donovan and Daniel Smith, of State and Local Politics: Institutions and Reform, a new college textbook published by Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
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Dr. Christopher Mooney |
The book is an introduction to the study of state and local politics that incorporates the most recent scholarship while taking a comparative approach. Students are encouraged to think critically about the way institutional structure influences outcomes and are asked to use that knowledge to form their own opinions on how best to address contemporary issues.
Reviewers have hailed the book as "offering a fresh and innovative approach to state politics" with "examples that will resonate with college students and bring to life issues such as fairness, competition, and representation." Caroline Tolbert of the University of Iowa wrote: "To put it simply, the book is hip, a joy to read, and better than any other textbook currently available on the subject."
In addition to serving as a professor in UIS' political studies department, Mooney has a joint appointment in the Institute of Government and Public Affairs and the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies at UIS. He is also the founding editor of State Politics and Policy Quarterly, the official journal of the State Politics and Policy section of the American Political Science Association. He has written numerous books and articles on state legislatures and public policy and can also be heard each week as a panelist on State Week in Review, an Illinois Public Radio program broadcast statewide.
Co-authors Donovan and Smith are professor of political science at Western Washington University and associate professor of political science at the University of Florida, respectively.
