Understanding Comparative Politics: An Inclusive Approach

"Baglione speaks cogently to our current generation of college students, who came of age amidst resurgent racism and an unprecedented pandemic." —Audie Klotz, Syracuse University It’s time for a new approach to help students engage more fully with comparative politics. By elevating all the components of identity as core elements of any political system, Lisa A. Baglione′s Understanding Comparative Politics helps students better appreciate the lived realities of people around the world. The book puts issues of race, gender, ethnicity, and religion in context, encouraging students to think critically about world regions and individual countries through the lens of current issues like social justice movements and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the book, Baglione empowers students to be active learners in this sometimes-daunting subject by engaging them in important questions, grounding them in foundational concepts like geography, and helping them make personal connections. This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package. Learning Platform / Courseware Sage Vantage is an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support. It′s a learning platform you, and your students, will actually love. . Assignable Video with Assessment Assignable video (available in Sage Vantage) is tied to learning objectives and curated exclusively for this text to bring concepts to life. LMS Cartridge: Import this title’s instructor resources into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Don’t use an LMS? You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Getting Started: Inclusivity and Building a Foundation with Concepts and Data An Inclusive Approach to Comparative Politics Laying the Foundation: Four Glances at the World Foundational Concepts in Comparative Politics Basic Theory and Methods in Comparative Politics Why Compare in an Inclusive and Systematic Fashion Conclusion: Starting to Build Our Edifice of Comparative Politics Chapter 2: Understanding Democracy: Definition, Institutions, Ideas, and Norms Getting Started: Understanding Democracy in Europe and Elsewhere What Is Democracy? What Are the Basic Political Institutions of Democracy? Economic Institutions and Democracy Ideology in the Political Spectrum in European Democracies and Beyond Democracy, Political Culture, and the Challenge of Inclusion Conclusion: Democracy and Its Political Institutions, Political Economies, and Political Cultures Chapter 3: Taking a Look at Europe Getting to Know Europe Taking a Look at European Geography Taking a Look at Political Development in Europe Taking a Look at Politics in Europe Taking a Look at Economies in Europe Taking a Look at Contemporary Social Conditions One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Data Conclusion: Our Look at Europe Chapter 4: Politics in the U.K.: How Did British Politics Go from Staid to Unstable? UK: Land and People Political Development Contemporary Political Performance and Political Institutions Economic Performance and the Political Economy: Successful and Increasingly Liberal Britain British Culture and Political Culture How and Why Did Instability Come to This Previously Staid System? Conclusion: The State of Contemporary British Democracy Chapter 5: Overview of Communism: Revolution, Political Institutions, Political Economy and Political Culture Understanding Communist Revolutions Political Institutions under Communism Political Economy of Communism Political Culture of Communism What Is Totalitarianism? Conclusion: Understanding Communism Chapter 6: Taking a Look: Post-Soviet States Getting to Know the Post-Soviet Super Region Geography of the Post-Soviet States Political Development of the Post-Soviet States Taking a Look at Politics in the Post-Soviet Region Taking a Look at Economics in the Post-Soviet Region Taking a Look at Social Conditions in the Post-Soviet States One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Data Conclusion: Our Foray into the Post-Soviet States Chapter 7: Politics in Russia: Why Is Authoritarianism So Seemingly Stable Despite Earlier Hopes for Democratic Change? Introduction: Hopes for Russian Democracy Dashed in the Twenty-First Century Russia: Land and People Political Development: From Russian Empire to USSR to Russia Russia’s Post-Soviet Political Performance and Institutions Russia’s Economic Performance and Political Economy: A State Capitalist Kleptocracy Russia’s Political Culture: Culture Wars and Russian Nationalism What Is Putinism and How Stable Is It? Conclusion: Understanding Russian Politics Chapter 8: Taking a Look: East, Southeast, and South (ESEA) Asia Introducing Three Regions of Asia Geography in East, Southeast, and South Asia: Taking a First Look at These Parts of the World Political Development: Unifying Recent Historical Experiences Taking a Look at Regime Type in ESES Asia Taking a Look at the Economies in ESES Asia Taking a Look at Social Conditions in the ESES Asian Super Region One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Values Conclusion: Our Look at ESES Asia Chapter 9: Politics in China: How Can Such Economic Success Exist with Political Repression? Introduction: China’s Remarkable Transformation and Ongoing Agenda Land and People Political Development: End of Empire, Communism, and Market Reforms China’s Political Performance and Institutions Economic Performance and Political Economy: Party-State Capitalism China’s Political Culture: Blending Confucianism, Maoism, and Market Liberalism? China’s Contemporary Authoritarianism: As Repression Grows, Can Economic Success Continue? Conclusion: Firmly Authoritarian with Significant Headwinds Ahead Chapter 10: Overview of the Global South: Experiences with Globalization Representing What Is Important Understanding Economic Globalization since 1500: A Process of Creating Hierarchies of Wealth Understanding Political Globalization: A Process of Creating Hierarchies of Power Globalization and the Reality of Structural Violence Globalization and Democracy: A Complex Relationship Conclusion: The Global South Chapter 11: Taking a Look at Latin America Getting to Know Latin America and the Caribbean Basic Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean Unifying Post-Colonial Experiences in these Regions Taking a Look at Regime Types and States in Latin America Taking a Look at the Economy in Latin America Taking a Look at Contemporary Social Accomplishments and Challenges in Latin America One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Data for LA Conclusion: Our Look at Latin America Chapter 12: Politics in Mexico: How Can Democratization Proceed with Such Inequality, Corruption, and Violence? Mexico: Land and People Political Development: Persisting Inequality, Violence, and Authoritarianism Mexico’s Politics: Dashed Hopes and Violent De-Democratization Economic Performance and Political Economy: Development in a Narco-State Capitalist Context Culture and Political Culture: Mexico’s Ambiguous Attitudes What Does AMLO’s Fourth Transformation Mean for Mexican Politics? Conclusion: Dashed Hopes and Democratic Reversal Chapter 13: Taking a Look at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Getting to Know MENA Basic Geography of the MENA Region Political Development in MENA: Religion and Conquest Brings Unity, Resentment, and Authoritarianism Taking a Look at Regime Types and States in MENA Taking a Look at the Economies in MENA Taking a Look at Social Conditions and Challenges in MENA One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Data for MENA Conclusion: Our Look at the Middle East and North Africa Chapter 14: Politics in Egypt: Why & How the “Arab Spring” Became the Egyptian Winter Egypt: Land and People Political Development: Colonialism, Leadership, and Military Dominance Regime Performance and Political Institutions in Egypt: Repression, Presidentialism and the Deep State Egypt’s Economic Performance and Political Economy: The Persistence of Statism and Rentierism, Despite Reform Efforts Political Culture: Islam, Democracy, 2011, and After 2011 and After: Why and How the Uprising Failed Conclusion: What a Difference a Decade Makes: Regression on Democracy and Inclusion Chapter 15: Taking a Look at Sub-Saharan Africa Basic Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa Taking a Look at Political Development in Sub-Saharan Africa since 1500 Taking a Look at Regime Types and States in SSA Taking a Look at Economies in SSA Taking a Look at Social Conditions and Challenges in SSA One Last Look: A Glance at Some Cultural Data Conclusion: Colonialism, Clientelism, and Likelihood of Transformation Chapter 16: Politics in Nigeria: Why Can’t the Giant of Africa Awake? Nigeria: Land and People Political Development: The Overwhelming Challenge of Building Democracy in a Neo-Patrimonial, Patriarchal, Military-Dominated, and Highly Diverse State Nigeria’s Political Performance and Institutions: Why and How Democracy Is So Hard to Achieve Nigeria’s “Cursed” Political Economy: Oil, Inequality, and Corruption Nigerian Political Culture: No Enthusiasm for Democracy Nigeria: Is the Sleeping Giant Poised to Wake? Conclusion: The Tragedy of Africa’s Sleeping Giant Chapter 17: Concluding Your Studies: What You’ve Learned from a Data-Intensive, Interactive, Concept-Focused, and Inclusive Approach to Comparative Politics What You Have Seen: Summary of the Conditions around the World What You Have Seen: Summary of the Conditions in Our Case Studies How Comparison, with the Aid of Concepts, Has Helped Us Understand Conclusion: An Inclusive Approach to Comparative Politics

About the Author :
Dr. Lisa A. Baglione is a professor in the Department of Political Science and a member of the International Relations Program at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Currently, Dr. Baglione also serves as the co-director of the Gender Studies Program. During her career, Dr. Baglione has conducted research in five areas, and while they are varied, she has benefited from the ways that insights from each have interwoven: negotiations between adversaries, authoritarian transformation, peacebuilding, gender in politics, and pedagogy. She has published two other books, To Agree or Not to Agree: Leadership, Bargaining, and Arms Control with University of Michigan Press and Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods, now in its fourth edition, with Sage.

Review :
"Understanding Comparative Politics stands out among recent textbooks in comparative politics in its refined and inclusive ′hybrid′ approach, which integrates an analytic understanding of enduring concepts in the field with empirical insights about a set of important countries, each discussed within their respective regional settings and historical contexts. Students will get to know about the world while also learning how to think comparatively about familiar topics in political science as well as oft-ignored issues like gender." "Baglione speaks cogently to our current generation of college students, who came of age amidst resurgent racism and an unprecedented pandemic. Instead of concentrating only on countries or trumpeting the triumph of democracy, this innovative textbook sets the global context by highlighting core concepts across geographical regions and time periods. And by systematically incorporating intersectionality, Baglione offers a model for both pedagogy and research." What I really like about this new volume is that it explicitly engages DEI issues: the issue of gender, for example, is particularly well-woven throughout all the chapters. Political science classes are highly informed by ongoing national headlines and national political discourses. Given this, DEI discussions have been central. I am glad that this book integrates them directly. The book focuses on regional politics and important introductory concepts are explored within regions and case studies. Up-to-the-minute current events are included, and the treatment of gender and intersectionality is compelling and novel, without sounding high-minded and paternalistic or in any way sacrificing academic rigor. It is written in an easy-to-follow style, the chapters are not too long, and the organization of the book is ideal for how I would like to teach this course: balancing abstract concepts, theories, and themes with specific examples from the real world. The book does a good job of showing how intersectional issues permeate politics, which could be really useful for my students, who don′t typically think of the world in these terms. The historical discussion is clear and engaging, and the examination of different approaches to ethnic conflict is accessible. The use of unique and often marginalized regions and concepts is distinct. It is much less Euro-centric than many other Comparative texts on the market. This book seems to have a rather innovative approach that really helps incorporate a more constructivist perspective by identifying the significance of gender, religion, and other societal attributes. This text is a well-written and well-organized introduction for students of all majors to Comparative Politics. This textbook provides comprehensive coverage of important country case studies but uses a new approach by focusing on intersectionality in terms of gender, race, class, etc. "What a genuinely inviting introductory textbook! Understanding Comparative Politics is written in a thoroughly student-friendly style that makes it a teacher-friendly book that we all can use to entice our students to grapple with their own political lives in this complex, dynamic world."