Inequality Across State Lines

'Too often political scientists focus narrowly on institutions and behaviors, overlooking the critical policy implications of political behaviors and institutional structures. Policy scholars seldom explore the political circumstances defining and even reorienting public policies. Sidorsky and Schiller address both. In Inequality across State Lines, Sidorsky and Schiller examine federal and state policies affecting domestic violence. Their work combines a keen sense of federal policy development and implementation with a clear presentation of the effects of our federal structures on the implementation of laws related to domestic violence (DV). Sidorsky and Schiller find that for victims of DV the political ideology and firearm laws where they live often dictate their fate. Too often, DV attacks are met with indifference from government officials and the public. Sidorsky and Schiller have produced an important work at a critical time.' Scott Ainsworth, University of Georgia
'Domestic violence is a life-and-death issue. It's also a powerfully gendered problem. Using gun laws and their implementation as a case study, the authors show how U.S. federalism intersects with gender and racial hierarchies to create a legal system where not all women are protected equally. This policy failure has profound consequences not only for women's physical and emotional well-being, but also potentially for their civic life.' Kristin A. Goss, Duke University
'Why do state and national policies fail to protect women from domestic violence? With insightful analysis, Sidorsky and Schiller implicate uneven state reactions to federal laws, gun rights trumping domestic violence concerns, and a system of federalism that exacerbates inequality. Their compelling call to action offers hope toward a path forward.' Craig Volden, University of Virginia