This refreshed and dynamic Eighth Edition of Keeping the Republic revitalizes the twin themes of power and citizenship by adding to the imperative for students to navigate competing political narratives about who should get what, and how they should get it. The exploding possibilities of the digital age make this task all the more urgent and complex. Christine Barbour and Gerald Wright, the authors of this bestseller, continue to meet students where they are in order to give them a sophisticated understanding of American politics and teach them the skills to think critically about it.  The entire book has been refocused to look not just at power and citizenship but at the role that control of information and its savvy consumption play in keeping the republic. Keeping the Republic, The Essentials is identical to the full version of the text, minus the three policy chapters.