Introduction to Comparative Politics

Written by a distinguished group of comparativists, this innovative and accessible introductory text surveys 12 key countries organized by their level of political development: established democracies, transitional democracies, and non-democracies. The country studies illuminate four comparative themes in a global context: 1. The world of statesuthe interaction of states within the international order. 2. Governing the economyuthe role of the state in economic management. 3. The democratic ideauthe pressure for more democracy and the challenges of democratization. 4. The politics of collective identitiesuthe political impact of diverse attachments and sources of group identity.