Introducing Comparative Politics
The Essentials

Second Edition

Stephen Orvis - Hamilton College, USA
Carol Ann Drogus - Colgate University, USA

Courses:
Introduction to Comparative Politics | Introduction to Comparative Politics

February 2020 | 424 pages | CQ Press

Introducing Comparative Politics: The Essentials is focused on core concepts and the big picture questions in comparative politics—Who rules? What explains political behavior? Where and why? Stephen Orvis and Carol Ann Drogus demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of commonly debated theories, structures, and beliefs and push students to apply their understanding.

While detailed case studies can go in-depth on specific countries and political systems, this book distills its country material into the narrative, increasing global awareness, current-event literacy, and critical-thinking skills. Adapted from the authors’ Introducing Comparative Politics, Fifth Edition, The Essentials version offers the same framework for understanding comparative politics in a briefer format, allowing you to teach the course the way you want to teach it.

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ISBN: 9781544379043	Paperback	Suggested Retail Price: $142.00	Bookstore Price: $113.60
ISBN: 9781544379012	Electronic Version	Suggested Retail Price: $88.00	Bookstore Price: $70.40

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World Map

Preface

About the Authors

PART I. A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING COMPARATIVE POLITICS

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Comparative Politics: What Is It? Why Study It? How to Study It?

Three Key Questions in Comparative Politics

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 2: The Modern State

Characteristics of the Modern State

Historical Origins of Modern States

Strong, Weak, and Failed States

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 3: States, Citizens, and Regimes

Citizens and Civil Society

Regimes, Ideologies, and Citizens

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 4: States and Identity

Understanding Identity

The Policy Debate

Nations, Nationalism, and Immigration

Ethnicity

Race

Social Class

Religion: Recognition, Autonomy, and the Secular State

Gender and Sexual Orientation: The Continuing Struggle for Recognition, Social Status, and Representation

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

PART II. POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND HOW THEY WORK

CHAPTER 5: Governing Institutions in Democracies

Executives and Legislatures

Comparing Executive–Legislative Institutions

Judiciary

Bureaucracy

Federalism

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 6: Institutions of Participation and Representation in Democracies

The Electoral System

Formal Institutions: Political Parties and Party Systems

Civil Society

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 7: Contentious Politics: Social Movements, Political Violence, and Revolution

Framing Contentious Politics

Political Violence

Revolution

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 8: Authoritarian Institutions

Trends in Authoritarian Rule

The Dictator’s Dilemma: Governing Authoritarian Regimes

Elections, Parties, and Legislatures

Clientelism and Civil Society

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 9: Regime Change

Trends in Regime Change

Regime Change: Transitions to Democracy

Regime Change: Transitions to Authoritarian Rule

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

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?

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

CHAPTER 11: Political Economy of Development

What Is “Development”?

Development and Globalization

The Development Debate

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources For Further Study

Web Resources

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

Conclusion

Key Concepts

Works Cited

Resources for Further Study

Web Resources

Glossary

Index

Supplements

Student Resources

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“This text presents a well-structured overview of critical themes in comparative politics in a very relevant and engaging format, and at a price that our students can afford. [Introducing Comparative Politics: The Essentials is a] thematically strong comparative political overview that is affordable for students."

Michael Wuthrich

University of Kansas

“[The text] provides all the basics for comparative politics and leaves no stones unturned.”

Sharmini Nair

Colorado State University

Cleaner presentation of material than prior Pearson text (by Samuels)

Kathleen Dowley

Poli Sci Int'L Rltns Dept, Suny College At New Paltz

March 24, 2022

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Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

Chapter-opening learning objectives have been added to the second edition to help guide students’ reading of the chapters and help them focus on the important points.
A thorough reorganizations of Chapters 8 and 9, to reflect the recent debates in the field on authoritarianism and the demise of democracy. Chapter 9 includes extended examples from Turkey and Hungary to illustrate authoritarianization, and we focus on the civil war in Syria in chapter 7 that has led to the global refugee crisis and the debates it has raised in many countries.
Chapter 4 includes a new section social class as an identity category.
The section on political parties in Chapter 6 has been reorganized to emphasize different ways in which parties mobilize support, including an extended section on the global rise of populism.

KEY FEATURES

Chapter-opening key questions help students focus on the key issues as they read the chapter and encourage debate in class. The chapters sometimes provide conclusive answers to the key questions, but more often they show students different ways the questions can be answered or approached.
Multiple “In Context” features in every chapter illustrate basic data about the chapter topics so students can set that idea into a comparative (and sometimes provocative) context.
Critical Inquiry features highlight methodological issues in comparative politics, providing a gateway for empirical study and analysis.
End-of-chapter lists of key concepts with page references are included to help students to easily study and review the concepts, and a list of works cited and a list of important print and electronic references offer students resources for further research.