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This title gives students and other users a clear understanding of the true state of voting and representative democracy in the United States by impartially examining claims surrounding voter fraud, voter suppression, gerrymandering, and other voting-related issues in the U.S.This work is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. Each book in the Contemporary Debates series is intended to puncture rather than perpetuate myths that diminish our understanding of important policies and positions; to provide needed context for misleading statements and claims; and to confirm the factual accuracy of other assertions.This particular volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about voting and elections in the United States. Issues covered include constitutional provisions concerning the franchise, constitutional amendments expanding the vote to previously disenfranchised groups, the specific provisions of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, and modern-day controversies swirling around claims of voter suppression for partisan gain, voter fraud, and partisan gerrymandering. All of these issues are examined in individualized entries, with objective responses grounded in up-to-date evidence.

This book provides a comprehensive and impartial overview of the state of American journalism and news-gathering in the 21st century, with a special focus on the rise-and meaning-of "fake news."A part of ABC-CLIO's Examining the Facts series, which uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics, this volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about American journalism and news media. It offers a comprehensive overview of the field of American journalism, including contemporary issues and historical foundations, and places modern problems such as "fake news" and misinformation in the context of larger technological and economic forces. The book illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of journalistic practices so readers can feel empowered to navigate the complex information environment in which we live and to understand the level to which various news sources can (or can't) be trusted to provide accurate and timely coverage of issues and events of import to the public and the nation. These skills and knowledge structures are necessary for any citizen who wishes to be an informed participant in a self-governing democratic society.

Drawing on scientific evidence from medicine, psychology, criminology, and sociology, this book explores the veracity of claims about marijuana use and misuse.Is marijuana an innocent recreational pleasure and medicinal boon or an evil that must be outlawed to protect the American public? With the legal and social status of marijuana in transition, accurate and objective information regarding its use is necessary for informed decisionmaking in both the personal and political arenas. To distinguish truth from fiction, this book draws on scientific evidence from medicine, psychology, criminology, and sociology, exploring many of the most commonly held beliefs about marijuana and documenting the scope and impact of its use-and abuse-in the United States.The work is organized around five broad topics: patterns and trends; risks and benefits; causes and consequences; criminalization; and practice and policy. It opens with examinations of use and abuse trends among various U.S. subpopulations, then goes on to scrutinize claims about the medical risks associated with the substance. Social and interpersonal causes and consequences of marijuana use are addressed, as is the history and future of marijuana legislation in the United States. Readers will come away from this book with broad-based knowledge about marijuana-and a scientifically grounded understanding of the benefits and risks of marijuana use.

Climate change is one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of the 21st century. This book provides a clear understanding of the issue by presenting scientific facts to refute falsehoods and misinformation-and to confirm the validity of other assertions.Is public understanding of global warming suffering from politically biased news coverage? Is it true that the global scientific community has not reached a consensus on whether humans are causing climate change? This important book addresses these questions and many more about global warming, identifying common claims about climate change and using quantifiable, evidence-based information to examine their veracity.The authors of this work examine 35 specific claims that have been made about global climate change by believers and skeptics. These assertions-some true, some false-will guide readers to a much deeper understanding of the extent of climate change; whether any climate change that is taking place is human-caused; whether climate change is likely to be a serious problem in the future; whether scientists agree on the fundamentals of climate change; and whether climate change impacts can be mitigated. Examples of specific issues that are scrutinized and explained in the book include: trends in the extent and condition of Arctic and Antarctic Sea ice packs, the accuracy of climate forecasting models, whether extreme weather events are increasing as a result of climate change, and the benefits and drawbacks of various schemes to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Deeply researched and scrupulously even-handed, this work provides readers with a clear and accurate understanding of human trafficking and related issues related to socioeconomic inequality, human rights, and international law. In doing so, it exposes falsehoods, half-truths, and distortions about trafficking that have gained traction in America's political and cultural discourse. When warranted, it also confirms the veracity of other claims about the nature and infrastructure of trafficking networks and the harrowing experiences of women, men, and children trapped in those dehumanizing systems.Special areas of focus include chapters devoted to quantifying the scope and reach of human trafficking around the world; prosecution and prevention strategies; the experiences of trafficking survivors and the important role they play in anti-trafficking efforts; and the successes and failures of anti-trafficking initiatives carried out by governments and law enforcement agencies around the world.

This indispensable book debunks common myths and misconceptions about the LGBTQ community while providing accurate information about LGBTQ people, their successes and shared history, and the current challenges they face in American society.This book provides readers with a clear and unbiased understanding of what it means to be LGBTQ in the United States in the 2020s. Beginning with the origins of LGBTQ identity and history, the book addresses the current status of the LGBTQ community; gender expectations and performance in American culture; transgender and non-binary identity; behaviors and outcomes associated with LGBTQ people; and, finally, diversity within the LGBTQ community. Utilizing authoritative sources and lay-friendly definitions and explanations, this work punctures myths, misconceptions, and incorrect assumptions about sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expectations and norms. In addition, it provides an illuminating record of the history of discrimination and mistreatment to which LGBTQ people have historically been subjected in the U.S. At a time when information itself is increasingly fraught in American political discourse, this book provides facts and context for the most important questions facing LGBTQ Americans, past, present, and future.

This title will give students and other readers a clear understanding of the true state of public and private education systems in the United States by refuting falsehoods, misunderstandings, and exaggerations-and confirming the validity of other assertions.This work is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. Each book in the Contemporary Debates series is intended to puncture rather than perpetuate myths that diminish our understanding of important policies and positions; to provide needed context for misleading statements and claims; and to confirm the factual accuracy of other assertions.This particular volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about public and private K-12 education in the United States. Issues covered include categories of public and private schools and variations in academic performance and socioeconomic status therein; controversies surrounding school choice, including school vouchers and charter schools; accountability and assessment of private and public schools; debates about school environment, safety, and curricula; and teacher and administrator quality. All of these issues are examined in individualized entries, with objective responses grounded in up-to-date evidence.

This work provides readers with an authoritative resource for understanding the true extent and nature of gun violence in America, examining the veracity of claims and counterclaims about mass shootings, gun laws, and public attitudes about gun control.This work is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. Each book in the Contemporary Debates series is intended to puncture rather than perpetuate myths that diminish our understanding of important policies and positions; to provide needed context for misleading statements and claims; and to confirm the factual accuracy of other assertions.This particular volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about gun violence, gun laws, and gun rights in the United States. Issues covered in the book include trends in firearm violence, mass shootings, the impact of gun ownership on rates and types of crime, regulations and Supreme Court decisions regarding gun control and the Second Amendment, and the activities and influence of organizations ranging from the National Rifle Association to Everytown for Gun Safety. All of these topics are examined in individualized entries, with objective responses grounded in up-to-date evidence.

This book is an essential resource for anyone who wants to understand race in America, drawing on research from a variety of fields to answer frequently asked questions regarding race relations, systemic racism, and racial inequality.This work is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. This particular volume examines the true state of race relations and racial inequality in the United States, drawing on empirical research in the hard sciences and social sciences to answer frequently asked questions regarding race and inequality. The book refutes falsehoods, misunderstandings, and exaggerations surrounding these topics and confirms the validity of other assertions.Assembling this empirical research into one accessible place allows readers to better understand the scholarly evidence on such high-interest topics as white privilege, racial bias in criminal justice, media bias, housing segregation, educational inequality, disparities in employment, racial stereotypes, and personal attitudes about race and ethnicity in America. The authors draw from scholarly research in biology, genetics, medicine, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and economics (among many other fields) to answer these questions, and in doing so they provide readers with the information to enter any conversation about American race relations in the 21st century as informed citizens.

This book closely examines controversial claims and beliefs surrounding poverty and anti-poverty programs in the United States. It authoritatively dismantles falsehoods, half-truths, and misconceptions, leaving readers with an unbiased, accurate understanding of these issues.Poverty and Welfare in America: Examining the Facts, like every book in the Contemporary Debates series, is intended to puncture rather than perpetuate myths that diminish our understanding of important policies and positions; to provide needed context for misleading statements and claims; and to confirm the factual accuracy of other assertions. This book clarifies some of the most contentious and misunderstood aspects of American poverty and the social welfare programs that have been crafted to combat it over the years. In addition to providing up-to-date data about the extent of American poverty among various demographic groups in the United States, it examines the chief causes of poverty in the 21st century, including divorce, disability, and educational shortfalls. Moreover, the book provides an evenhanded examination of the nation's social welfare agencies and the effectiveness of various social service programs managed by those agencies in addressing and reducing poverty.

This installment in the critically acclaimed Contemporary Debates series uses evidence-based documentation to provide a full and impartial examination of beliefs and claims made about Muslim individuals, families, and communities in the United States.Muslims in America: Examining the Facts provides an objective overview of the realities and experiences of Muslims in the United States, both historically and in the present day, and of their relationship with their fellow Americans. It surveys the history of American Muslims' settlement and integration into the United States; explores the dominant social, political, cultural, and economic characteristics of American Muslim families and communities; and studies the ways in which their experiences and beliefs intersect with various notions of American national identity. In the process, the book critically examines the more dominant social and political narratives and claims surrounding American Muslims and their religion of Islam, including false or malicious claims about their attitudes toward terrorism and other important issues. Muslims in America: Examining the Facts thus gives readers a clear and accurate understanding of the actual lives, actions, and beliefs of Muslim people in the United States.

Drawing on scientific evidence from medicine, psychology, criminology, and sociology, this book explores the veracity of claims about marijuana use and misuse.

This book provides a comprehensive and impartial overview of the state of American journalism and news-gathering in the 21st century, with a special focus on the rise-and meaning-of "fake news."A part of ABC-CLIO's Examining the Facts series, which uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics, this volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about American journalism and news media. It offers a comprehensive overview of the field of American journalism, including contemporary issues and historical foundations, and places modern problems such as "fake news" and misinformation in the context of larger technological and economic forces. The book illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of journalistic practices so readers can feel empowered to navigate the complex information environment in which we live and to understand the level to which various news sources can (or can't) be trusted to provide accurate and timely coverage of issues and events of import to the public and the nation. These skills and knowledge structures are necessary for any citizen who wishes to be an informed participant in a self-governing democratic society.

Synthesizing the latest scholarship in law and the social sciences on criminal sentencing and corrections, this book provides a thorough, balanced, and accessible survey of the major policy issues in these fields of persistent public interest and political debate.¿ Provides readers with an accessible introduction to important, timely topics of public debate¿ Maintains a neutral, balanced perspective on a subject often a matter of heated partisanship¿ Reveals the subtle connections between different aspects of the criminal justice system that are often missed in policy discussions¿ Synthesizes leading academic work in law and the social sciences¿ Provides a balanced assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of significant reform proposals

What are the myths and truths regarding immigration in the United States? This book provides readers with an impartial understanding of the true state of immigration and immigration policy in the United States by refuting falsehoods, misinformation, and exaggerations surrounding this topic-and confirming the validity of other assertions.Immigration: Examining the Facts provides a one-stop resource for straight answers on the impact-both positive and negative-of immigration trends on the United States. Its coverage of key issues serves students as well as members of the general public who want to better understand immigration trends and their effect on various aspects of American society. By utilizing quantifiable information from objective, authoritative sources, readers will be able to make informed judgments about immigration claims made by both liberals and conservatives.The book analyzes specific claims about immigration that are perpetuated through media or public discourse, identifies the origins of these claims, and then offers empirical data from impartial research sources to consider the veracity of those claims. Organized into subject chapters, each of which addresses assertions about specific immigration topics, this resource gives students and other users the tools to gain a more accurate understanding of the issue, improve their critical thinking skills, and increase their awareness of the views and strategies of political parties, lawmakers, news organizations, and advocacy groups on this important subject.

Climate change is one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of the 21st century. This book provides a clear understanding of the issue by presenting scientific facts to refute falsehoods and misinformation-and to confirm the validity of other assertions.

This is the first reference book to provide a detailed assessment of the Affordable Care Act, explaining the realities and myths surrounding one of the most divisive political struggles in recent U.S. history. The Affordable Care Act-also known as Obamacare-is one of the most controversial and politicized topics in the United States today.

This book provides a comprehensive and impartial overview of laws and norms regarding free speech and censorship in the United States, with a particular focus on free speech rights and restrictions for individuals, politicians, corporations, and news organizations.Free Speech and Censorship: Examining the Facts is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. This volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about free speech and censorship issues in American society, including landmark court decisions and evolving cultural values that have shaped our understanding of the First Amendment and the liberties it enshrines and protects. Specific chapters in the volume explore basic principles of free speech; unprotected types of speech; conditionally protected speech; restrictions and regulations governing protected speech; free speech limitations in school settings; the corrosive impact of politicians and social media platforms that spread distortions and falsehoods under free speech pretexts; and free speech as a general cultural ideal. Together, these chapters will provide readers with a thorough and accurate grounding in their First Amendment rights and responsibilities.