Politics

Description

With an unrivalled combination of exceptional clarity and analysis, this introduction to politics is the perfect text with which to begin your studies of the political world.

• Written especially for undergraduate students, this introduction to politics is the perfect foundation on which to build university-level studies.
• A clear writing style, a range of helpful learning features, and a lively design make Politics the ideal choice for those coming to the subject for the first time.
• With broad coverage of political concepts, ideologies, and issues, Politics provides students with all they need to know to successfully complete a wide range of modules.
• A range of case studies and international examples throughout the text demonstrate the relevance of the concepts being introduced to the real world.
• The authors include insightful analysis and engaging questions to help students develop a critical approach to their studies.
• Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support

About the Author(s)

Peter Ferdinand, Emeritus Reader in Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Robert Garner, Professor of Politics, University of Leicester, and Stephanie Lawson, Professor of Politics and International Studies, Macquarie University

Peter Ferdinand is Emeritus Reader in Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

Robert Garner is Professor of Politics at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom.

Stephanie Lawson is Professor of Politics and International Studies at Macquarie University, Australia and Senior Research Associate, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Table of Contents

1:Introduction: the nature of politics and political analysis
2:Politics and the State
3:Political Power, Authority, and the State
4:Democracy
5:Democracies, Democratization, and Authoritarian Regimes
6:Nations and Nationalism
7:The Ideal State
8:Ideologies
9:Political Economy: National and Global Perspectives
10:Institutions and States
11:Laws, Constitutions, and Federalism
12:Votes, elections, legislatures, and legislators
13:Political Parties
14:Executives, Bureaucracies, Policy Studies, and Governance
15:The Media and Politics
16:Civil Society, Interest Groups, and Populism
17:Security and Insecurity
18:Governance and Organizations in Global Politics
19:Conclusion

Reviews

"Extremely well-written, fluid, and easily comprehensible... This book is a lot clearer than its competitors." - Cillian McGrattan, Ulster University

"A clearly written introduction to a complex subject that does not talk down to a student audience." - David Moon, University of Bath

"Dealing with contemporary issues and tensions, this book provides a very engaging introduction to the subject." - Edoardo Bressanelli, King's College London

"The authors' frequent references to particular states, international organizations, and non-state actors throughout certainly demonstrate its applicability to the real world." - Scott Fitzsimmons, University of Limerick

Additional Resources

The book is fully supported by online resources designed to help students take their learning further.

For students:
- Test your knowledge of the chapters and receive instant feedback with online multiple choice questions.
- Take your learning further with relevant web links to reliable online content.
- Revise key terms and concepts from the text with a digital flashcard glossary.
- Learn more about key thinkers' ideas and backgrounds.

For registered lecturers:
- Reinforce key themes from each chapter with suggested seminar and essay questions.
- Incorporate active learning into your seminars with political scenarios, discussion questions, and teaching notes.
- Use the adaptable PowerPoint slides as the basis for lecture presentations or as hand-outs in class.
- Assess students' learning with a ready-made test bank, which can be customized to suit your needs.