American politics have scarcely ever been as controversial as they are today. A good understanding of the USA=s political system and the way in which it works is therefore all the more urgently needed. In three well-founded sections, this book is devoted to the basic institutions and fields of U.S. politics. In the first section, Christoph M. Haas describes the various political institutions and protagonists in the USA; Christian Lammert then characterizes the country=s domestic politics since Obama; and finally, Simon Koschut in the third section traces the development of foreign policy. Overall, the book provides a nuanced overview of the way in which politics works in the USA. The book is intended both for students and also for interested laypersons.