DEMOCRACY'S REBIRTH by Dick Simpson contains a foreword by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and includes a particular focus on Chicago. Simpson, a professor, at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a former Chicago alderman and congressional candidate, offers a unique insider perspective combined with an historical overview. He delves into discussions around systemic racism, money in politics, voter participation, polarization, gerrymandering, corruption, and machine politics. Overall, this text felt a bit dense for our students, but the bullet points and lists of suggested actions near the end could be useful discussion starters. Simpson includes photos, maps, drawings, extensive notes, and an index. I am now curious to see some of his other collaborative texts, particularly Teaching Civic Engagement.
For more perspective on American democracy have a look at a recent article by Jonathan Haidt in The Atlantic: "Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid."
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