The Foundations of American Jewish Liberalism

Kenneth D. Wald is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Political Science and the Samuel R. "Bud" Shorstein Professor Emeritus of American Jewish Culture and Society at the University of Florida. He is the author of Religion and Politics in the United States (eighth edition), Politics of Cultural Differences, Private Lives, Public Conflicts, and Crosses on the Ballot.

• Part I. The Problem(s) of American Jewish Liberalism: 1. America is different; 2. Why American Jewish politics is puzzling; 3. How is America different?; Part II. Development of the American Jewish Political Culture: 4. How Jews fell in love with the American regime; 5. Jewish political culture in the early national period; 6. Consolidating Jewish political culture; 7. Early twentieth century challenges to Jewish political culture; Part III. Jewish Liberalism and the Democratic Party in the Post-New Deal Era; 8. Jewish political culture during the 'long sixties' and after; 9. Resurgence of democratic partisanship in the post-new deal era; 10. The persistence of the Jewish liberal tradition; References; Index.

'This is a thorough and thoughtful scholarly contribution to the place of Jews in American society, a topic of great interest not only to Jews but to Americans of all religious beliefs and no religious beliefs. A valuable addition to our scholarly understanding of both Jewish and American exceptionalism, The Foundations of American Jewish Liberalism is a standard work, equivalent to the work of Lipset and Raab for a previous generation.' Alan Wolfe, author of The Politics of Petulance: America in an Age of Immaturity