Democratic government depends on a public that understands (and can discuss) the fundamentals of our nation’s affairs — and this all hinges on citizens having a working political vocabulary.
The Language of Liberty: A Citizen’s Vocabulary will help. Between the covers, experienced history and social studies writer Edwin Hagenstein takes an ideologically even-handed approach to present an engaging, substantive look at 101 political terms, from nuts-and-bolts governmental functions (committee, veto, Chief of Staff) to the more philosophical (equality, rights, democracy).
“My book is designed to build understanding of our system of government, one word at a time,” Hagenstein says. “These are terms that we all read, hear and use whenever we talk politics.”
Alphabetized and presented in the form of brief, engaging essays, each entry goes beyond definition and explores the historical context of each term and how it fits within today’s American politics. Taken together, the entries provide an overview of our whole system of government.
Clear, accessible, informative and perhaps most importantly, nonpartisan, The Language of Liberty is perfect for students and teachers, as well as anyone concerned about our government and politics.
Historian Wilfred McClay called it “splendid” as well as “wise, subtle, and reflective.” Ambassador David Lambertson says it is “an effective indeed noble antidote” to our troubled political discourse. This book is timeless, yet needed now more than ever.
Author Ed Hagenstein is an editor and writer with three decades of experience in educational publishing. In addition, he was co-editor of American Georgics: Writing on Farming, Culture, and the Land (Yale University Press, 2011). After many years in the Boston area, he now lives in Medanales, New Mexico, with his partner, Helen Byers.
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