Political thought in the United States
Subtitle: a documentary history
By: edited by Lyman Tower Sargent.
Contributors: Sargent, Lyman Tower, 1940-
Publisher: New York University Press; NYU Press
Published: 1997
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 428
Subjects: Political science -- United States -- History -- Sources; Minorities -- United States -- Political activity -- History -- Sources
Description: An innovative departure from traditional approaches to political thought, Lyman Tower Sargent's groundbreaking anthology includes minority ideologies and positions where they occurred historically. By interweaving minority voices with majority documents rather than grouping them separately, Political Thought in the United States presents us with a uniquely organic portrait of American political life.

Beginning with the time of the explorers and early settlers, the volume presents the political beliefs and ideologies of religious minorities, women, North American Indians, and African Americans as fundamental components of American thought. Emphasizing that such minority perspectives never melted together into the mainstream, Sargent subscribes to a "tossed salad" approach which emphasizes the distinctness of minority opinions.

Sargent's introductory comments, which preface the selections, serve as connecting narratives and help the reader follow ideological disputes as they occurred, revealing a historical continuum and enriching our understanding of contemporary politics.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.