Gateways to Democracy is well written, balanced, and offers an effective blend of theory, historical analysis, and specific case studies. The tensions between 'gates' and 'gateways' allows my students to consider the opportunities that democracy in America has provided while challenging them to wrestle with the contemporary reality of shortcomings and inequity within the nation's political processes. End-of-chapter questions, summaries, and lists of important terms also ensure that my students have all the resources they need to make the most of this excellent text.""Providing learning objectives, checkpoints, and learning outcomes for students helps their ability to focus studying efforts. This is especially important with introductory courses. I believe these are valuable tools for students.