The politics of gun control / Robert J. Spitzer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Spitzer, Robert J., 1953-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gun control--United States.

Gun control.

United States.

Physical Description:

xvi, 247 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

Fifth edition.

Place of Publication:

Boulder [Colo.] : Paradigm Publishers, [2012]

Summary:

Spitzer (political science, SUNY-Cortland) is a member of both the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. In this work for general readers and students, he offers a balanced perspective on the issue of national gun control, looking at the issue within the context of social regulatory policy. He reviews the social and cultural roots of gun control policy and outlines concepts of social regulatory policy, then investigates the interpretation of the Second Amendment. His summary of the consequences of guns and gun control incorporates crime, suicide, accidents, and self-defense. The author describes political patterns that spring from social regulatory policy and explores the roles of advocacy groups and key national institutions. In his conclusion, the author draws on international relations theory to assess the arguments on both sides of the issue and proposes a new way to achieve political accommodation. This fifth edition includes a new section on the movement to allow personal handguns on college campuses and covers recent high-profile public shootings, court rulings, border violence, and social media phenomena such as gun meet-ups. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

I Policy Definition and Gun Control 1

Regulation, Public Order, and Public Policy 2

Guns and Regulation 3

The Gun Controversy 6

The Gun Culture 7

Policy Gridlock 14

Social Regulatory Policy Analysis 16

2 The Second Amendment: Meaning, Intent, Interpretation, and Consequences 19

Historic Roots 21

The Constitution 24

The Bill of Rights 27

The Militia Transformed 29

Supreme Court Rulings 32

Other Court Rulings 38

Bad History Makes Bad Law 39

Conclusion 44

3 The Criminological Consequences of Guns 47

America and Violence 50

Choice of Weapons 54

Homicide and Malicious Injury 56

Suicide 57

Accidents 61

Self-Defense 62

Guns and School Violence 76

Gun Carrying on College Campuses? 80

Extending the "Castle Doctrine" to America's Streets 82

Conclusion 83

4 Political Fury: Gun Politics 87

Single-Issue Gun Groups: The Nra 89

Explaining the Nra's Effectiveness 100

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 111

The Million Mom March 112

The Gun Control Movement's Strategic Blunders 114

The Political Balance and the Invincibility Myth 115

Public Opinion 118

Political Parties and Guns 123

Conclusion 127

5 Institutions, Policymaking, and Guns 129

Early Legislative Efforts 130

The Gun Control Act of 1968 132

The Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 137

The Tide Turns: The Assault Weapons Ban 141

The Brady Bill 147

The Post-Columbine Reaction 154

Lawsuit Protection for Gun Manufacturers 156

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 159

Conclusion: Furious Politics, Marginal Policy 166

6 Gun Policy: A New Framework 171

Federalism: The Great Regulation Dilemma 172

Gun Policy Alternatives 174

The Barriers to Gun Control 176

The Security Dilemma 178

The Security Dilemma and the Gun Debate 180

Nonproliferation and Arms Control 186.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781594519871

1594519870

OCLC:

714715262