American Democracy Now, 2nd Edition (Harrison)

Chapter 7: Interest Groups

Chapter Outline



  1. The Value of Interest Groups
    1. Interest Groups and Civic Participation
    2. Pluralist Theory versus Elite Theory
    3. Key Functions of Interest Groups
    4. The Downside of Interest Groups
  2. Who Joins Interest Groups, and Why?
    1. Patterns of Membership
      1. Interest Group Participation Based on Occupation
      2. Interest Group Participation and Social Class
      3. Interest Group Participation and Education
    2. Motivations for Joining Interest Groups
      1. Solidary Incentives
      2. Purposive Incentives
      3. Economic Incentives
  3. How Interest Groups Succeed
    1. Organizational Resources
      1. How Membership Affects Success
      2. How Financial Resources Affect Success
    2. Organizational Environment
      1. Leadership
      2. Opposition
  4. Types of Interest Groups
    1. Economic Interest Groups
      1. Corporate and Business Interests
      2. Labor Interests
      3. Agricultural Interests
      4. Trade and Professional Interests
    2. Public and Ideological Interest Groups
      1. Consumer Interests
      2. Environmental Interests
      3. Religious Interests
    3. Foreign Interest Groups
  5. Interest Group Strategies
    1. Direct Strategies to Advance Interests
      1. Lobbying, Issue Networks, and Iron Triangles
      2. Litigation by Interest Groups
      3. Providing Information and Expert Testimony
    2. Indirect Strategies to Advance Interests
      1. Public Outreach
      2. Electioneering
  6. Interest Groups, Politics, and Money: The Influence of Political Action Committees
Harrison: American Democracy Now, 2nd Edition
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