The Politics of Gun Control

by Robert J. Spitzer

Overview

Since its initial publication in 1995, this book has become the classic work on every important element of the tumultuous national gun debate in America. This new edition brings together the latest developments and research in gun politics, policy, law, history, and criminology to provide a comprehensive and accessible source widely used by scholars, journalists, and in classrooms. In this era of polarized politics, this book provides a unique window into how and why that polarization drives our politics. Among the new topics covered in this edition are the Supreme Court’s new foray into applying history to evaluate modern gun laws, the effects of political whipsawing between Democratic and Republican control of government, and the consequences of that for gun laws, violence, and policy.

New to the Tenth Edition

• Analysis of the Supreme Court’s Rahimi decision that for the first time implemented its controversial history-based standard for judging the constitutionality of current gun laws
• Highlights the whiplash between the pro-gun policy actions of the Biden administration and the second Trump administration’s about-face to roll back those initiatives
• Chronicles the rise and nearly cataclysmic implosion of the once-vaunted National Rifle Association as self-created problems brought it to the brink of disaster, and as legal actions against the NRA finally came to an end
• Elucidates the scramble of other gun rights groups to replace the NRA as the nation’s foremost anti-gun law organization
• Presents new and updated statistical research on gun ownership in America, gun-related fatalities, public opinion support of ‘red-flag’ laws and other gun control measures. After a surge in gun violence and gun ownership, both have receded to pre-pandemic levels, and the murder rate continues its decline after a short upsurge
• Includes new pedagogical features of chapter summaries and discussion questions in each chapter

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781041045168
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/28/2025
Edition description:	10th ed.
Pages:	318
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Robert J. Spitzer is Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the State University of New York at Cortland and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary School of Law. He is the author of 16 books and over 700 articles, essays, papers, and op-eds.

Table of Contents

Introduction  Chapter 1: Policy Definition and Gun Control   Chapter 2: The Second Amendment: Meaning, Intent, Interpretation, and Consequences   Chapter 3: The Criminological Consequences of Guns   Chapter 4: Political Fury: Gun Politics   Chapter 5: Institutions, Policymaking, and Guns   Chapter 6: Gun Policy: A New Framework

Editorial Reviews

Explains gun control issues, analyzing the meaning, intent, and interpretation of the Second Amendment and reviewing the contending claims of forces on both sides of the debate. Recounts histories and missions of major organizations, and looks into the roles played by political parties, Congress, and the federal bureaucracy. This second edition incorporates recent issues such as schoolyard shootings and militia groups. For scholars, students, and journalists. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

Praise for previous editions of The Politics of Gun Control

"First published in 1995 and frequently updated, Robert Spitzer’s excellent work is my go-to book for gun control. It is the single best primer available on gun control, and this new edition should be first on any list of readings on the topic. Anyone with an interest in firearms—for whatever reason—must read this book."
Charles W. Smith, The Ohio State University

/ "Robert Spitzer has written the classic work on the gun control problem: His analysis is comprehensive, penetrating, and dispassionate."
Raymond Tatalovich, Loyola University Chicag

"Robert Spitzer deftly distills decades of firearm policy-making, court decisions, and interest-group mobilization into one readable volume. As a veteran observer of the great gun debate, Spitzer brings an expert knowledge and historical view that few other scholars can rival."
Jacob D. Charles, Duke University School of Law

"The Politics of Gun Control continues to provide an authoritative assessment of the many issues surrounding guns in America, and offers new commentary on the growing empirical literature as well as on some of the latest wrenching spasms of gun violence that continue to plague this country."
John Donahue, Stanford Law School

From the Publisher