A policy-focused approach to understanding the role of interest groups in US municipal governments. For a long time, local politics in the United States seemed tranquil compared to the divisiveness and dysfunction of national politics. The last few years have shattered that illusion, as multiple wide-ranging crises thrust America's local governments into the spotlight, exposing policy failures and problems that have been mounting for years. And while police behavior and the cost of housing are the subjects of heated national debate, much of the policymaking on these issues takes place not at the national level, but in local governments. In Local Interests, Sarah F. Anzia explores local governments and the interest groups that try to influence them on important issues, focusing on critical areas in local politics: police, economic development, housing, and challenges of taxing and spending. Anzia approaches the study of local interest groups by focusing on specific policies and looking at the groups involved, how they get active in politics, and what impact they have. By offering new perspectives on these issues, Anzia contributes to our knowledge about how interest groups function and the significant role they play in shaping broader social outcomes.

Book Information
ISBN 9780226819297
Author Sarah F. Anzia
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 152g