This book analyzes the problems of U.S. politics and public policy and proposes a solution rooted in a deep American consensus that often goes unrecognized. The authors critique three dominant ideological perspectives - conservative, radical, and liberal - and propose a fourth eclectic 'outcomes' perspective rooted in American pragmatism.

ALBERT HUNTER is professor of Sociology at Northwestern University, USA. Hunter has published numerous books and articles, including Symbolic Communities (1974) and Multimethod Research (1989). CARL MILOFSKY is Professor of Sociology at Bucknell University, USA, and author of Community Organizations (1988) among others.