Books by Alan Draper

The first book-length, scholarly treatment of the subject, this volume examines the AFL-CIO's Committee on Political Education (COPE) from its origins in 1955 to the stunning defeat of COPE-endorsed candidates in the 1966 Congressional elections. In an attempt to determine whether the AFL-CIO is a surrogate for the social democratic party that the American party system lacks, Draper analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of labor's alliance with the Democratic party and the degree to which COPE was successful in mobilizing a coalition of workers and minorities to pursue social democratic goals.

Combining thematic and country approaches to show students what comparative politics is really about, The Good Society organizes itself around a key questionwhy are some countries better than others at improving their citizens lives? This brief survey offers a focused look at political institutions and uses in-depth country studies to compare how different institutional arrangements yield different political results. By concentrating on how politics affects citizens lives, The Good Society offers a uniquely relevant introduction to comparative politics that goes to the heart of the field and helps students develop a critical point-of-view.

On the basis of extensive archival research, Alan Draper illuminates the role organized labor played in the southern civil rights movement.