New!

State and Local Government, 12th Edition

Ann O'M. Bowman, Richard C. Kearney, Carmine P. F. Scavo

Copyright 2027
{{checkPublicationMessage('Available 9 January 2026', '2026-01-09T00:00:00+0000')}}

Starting At $227.95 See pricing and ISBN options

Instructor Next Steps

Students: Buy now

State and Local Government 12th Edition by Ann O'M. Bowman/Richard C. Kearney/Carmine P. F. Scavo

Quick Navigation

Overview
Meet the Authors
Table of Contents
Pricing

Overview

Equipping students with the knowledge and tools to thoughtfully develop their own positions on divisive issues, Bowman/Kearney/Scavo's "State and Local Government," 12th Edition, delivers comprehensive coverage of institutions, political behavior and policymaking at the state and local level. This bestselling text's theme of increased capacity and responsiveness of state and local government sparks students' excitement about politics at the grassroots level and is pro public service. Completely up-to-date, the new edition includes expansive coverage of the Trump Administration’s efforts to remake federal-state-local interactions, new insight on how local governments are attempting to deal with global climate change and other recent challenges such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meet the Authors

{{collapseContainerClosed['meet-the-author'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Ann O'M. Bowman

Ann O'M. Bowman is a professor and holder of the Hazel Davis and Robert Kennedy Endowed Chair in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, where she teaches courses in state and local politics and policy, intergovernmental relations, environmental policy and management, and public policy process. Her research interests revolve around questions of institutional change, policy adoption and implementation, and intergovernmental dynamics, and she has published numerous books and articles on these topics. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

Richard C. Kearney

Richard C. Kearney retired as professor of political science and public administration at North Carolina State University. His career also included lengthy teaching, research and administrative responsibilities at East Carolina University, the University of Connecticut and the University of South Carolina. Dr. Kearney's research interests include comparative state politics and policy, labor relations and human resource management policy, and he has published prolifically on these and related topics. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. He lives in Raleigh and Beaufort, North Carolina.

Carmine P. F. Scavo

Carmine P. F. Scavo, Ph.D. is emeritus professor of political science at East Carolina University where he has taught since 1985. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in state and local government, intergovernmental relations, policy analysis, and methodology. His research interests include e-government, homeland security and disaster management, intergovernmental relations, and voting behavior. He has published a number of books and articles on these and other topics in his career.

{{collapseContainerClosed['table-of-contents'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

1. State and Local Government: New Directions.
2. Federalism and the States: Sorting Out Roles and Responsibilities.
3. State Constitutions: The Fundamental Rules of State Government.
4. Citizen Participation and Elections: Engaging the Public in Government.
5. Political Parties, Interest Groups and Campaigns: Influencing Public Policy.
6. State Legislatures: The People's Representatives.
7. Governors: Power, Politics and Executive Leadership.
8. Public Administration: Budgeting and Service Delivery.
9. The Judiciary: Independence vs. Accountability.
10. Local Government: Types and Functions.
11. Local Leadership and Governance: Continuity and Change.
12. State & Local Relations: Fifty Different Systems.
13. Taxing and Spending: Where the Money Comes from and Where it Goes.
14. Economic Development: Competing for Growth.
15. Education Policy: Reading, Writing and Reform.
16. Criminal Justice: Cops and Corrections.
17. Social Welfare and Health Care Policy: Addressing Poverty and Sickness.
18. Climate and Environmental Policy: Regulation and Innovation.