Introducing Comparative Politics: The Essentials

Introducing Comparative Politics: The Essentials is organized thematically around the essential questions in comparative politics—Who rules? What explains political behavior? Where and why? Adapted from the authors’ Introducing Comparative Politics, Fourth Edition, The Essentials version offers the same framework for understanding comparative politics in a briefer format.

Table of Contents:
Part I: A Framework for Understanding Comparative Politics Chapter 1: Introduction The Big Issues Comparative Politics: What Is It? Why Study It? How to Study It? Three Key Questions in Comparative Politics Chapter 2: The Modern State Characteristics of the Modern State Historical Origins of Modern States Strong, Weak, and Failed States Chapter 3: States, Citizens, and Regimes Citizens and Civil Society Regimes, Ideologies, and Citizens Chapter 4: States and Identity Understanding Identity The Policy Debate Nations and Nationalism Ethnicity Race Religion: Recognition, Autonomy, and the Secular State Gender and Sexual Orientation: The Continuing Struggle for Recognition, Social Status, and Representation Part II: Political Systems and How They Work Chapter 5: Governing Institutions in Democracies Executives and Legislatures Comparing Executive-Legislative Institutions Judiciary Bureaucracy Federalism Chapter 6: Institutions of Participation and Representation in Democracies The Electoral System Formal Institutions: Political Parties and Party Systems Civil Society Chapter 7: Contentious Politics: Social Movements, Political Violence, and Revolution Framing Contentious Politics Political Violence Revolution Chapter 8: Authoritarian Institutions Authoritarian Rule around the World Governing Institutions in Authoritarian Regimes Elections, Parties, and Civil Society in Authoritarian Regimes Chapter 9: Regime Change The Military in Politics: Coups d'État Revolution Democratization Part III: Political Economy and Policy Chapter 10: Political Economy of Wealth The Market, Capitalism, and the State Key Economic Debates Types of Capitalist Economies Globalization: A New World Order, or Déjà Vu All Over Again? Chapter 11: Political Economy of Development What Is "Development"? Development and Globalization The Development Debate Chapter 12: Public Policies When Markets Fail: Welfare, Health, and the Environment "Welfare": Social Policy in Comparative Perspective Health Care and Health Policy Environmental Problems and Policy Glossary Index

About the Author :
Stephen Orvis is Professor of Government at Hamilton College. He is a specialist on sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya in particular), identity politics, democratic transitions, and the political economy of development. He has been teaching introduction to comparative politics for more than twenty-five years, as well as courses on African politics, nationalism and the politics of identity, political economy of development, and weak states. He has written a book and articles on agricultural development in Kenya, as well as several articles on civil society in Africa and Kenya and is currently doing research on political institutions in Africa.     Carol Ann Drogus is a retired Professor of Government at Hamilton College. She is a specialist on Brazil, religion, and women’s political participation. She taught introduction to comparative politics for more than fifteen years, as well as courses on Latin American politics, gender and politics, and women in Latin America. She has written two books and numerous articles on the political participation of women in religious movements in Brazil.

Review :
“I think the discussion of government systems is one of the most challenging topics in this class for students. The chapter does a great job presenting theory, explaining concepts, giving examples and comparing systems. I would assign it to my students as required reading without hesitation.”  “It is an exceptionally good idea that the themes of the book are also presented in the case study analysis, which will help students see these concepts in action.  My current text focuses on one aspect of our thematic analysis for each case, but I would like a text that I can use to highlight key themes throughout the case, rather than a singular focus.” “I strongly believe there is a need for such a textbook. The quality of Volume I (as suggested by Chapter 6), its tight and organized presentation, and its effective embedding of the “need-to-know” questions in the existing and well-referenced scholarly literature suggests it would be a major contribute to the textbook market in comparative politics.  The separating out of the cases from the thematic coverage through the two-volume format would give many instructors more of a choice.  I like that!”