The Politics of Gun Control

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 c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)