It is possible to identify at least three ways of conceptualizing change in American democracy.
First change is seen as a product of development. Here change is linear it signifies
progress. The second model sees change as coming from the reflection of the relationship
between values and their institutional manifestations. It has a distinctly conservative
character. The third approach sees change as an innovation often a product of technological
advancement. Each conceptualization of change stipulates a different set of problems which need
to be addressed. The first - functional approach - is mainly concerned with the efficiency of
the socio-political system. The second - intellectual approach - poses questions about the
system stability and legitimacy. The third - mechanical approach - inquires about the system's
adaptability. These and other dimensions of change are explored by the contributors in their
analyses of domestic and foreign policy cultural and social conflicts economic relations
ideologies and public discourse in contemporary America.
