a href="http://www.oupcanada.com/ebrochure/garner/index.html"img src="/images/hed/closer_look_btn.gif"/aNow in a Canadian edition, this truly international introduction to politics offers comprehensive coverage of key concepts and ideologies, institutions, and international relations. Balancing theory with a wealth of Canadian and international real world examples, this text equips students with theknowledge required to think critically about the current state of global politics. Intellectually stimulating yet accessible, Introduction to Politics offers students a solid foundation to understanding politics and how it impacts every aspect of our lives.

This major new textbook will equip students with a complete understanding of contemporary politics, state and society in the United Kingdom today. Key underlying themes include: The differences between traditional and alternative ‘sites of power’ and what we mean by ‘political’ the relationships between politics, society and how individuals become and remain engaged with politics the rapid transformations in contemporary social structures and their impact on social and political life the role of human agency and its significance to social and political action and movements contemporary cultural and social dislocations and their impact on some of the major contested areas of political life today. Key features include: Key concepts and issues Key theorists and writers Discussion questions Comprehensive and accessible, An Introduction to Politics, State & Society is an essential text for all undergraduate students of politics, the contemporary state, power and political sociology.

When it comes to voting, taxes, environmental regulations, social services, education, criminal justice, political parties, property rights, gun control, marriage and a whole host of other modern American issues, the state in which a citizen resides makes a difference. That idea—that the political decisions made by those in state-level offices are of tremendous importance to the lives of people whose states they govern—is the fundamental concept explored in this book. Gary F. Moncrief and Peverill Squire introduce students to the very tangible and constantly evolving implications, limitations, and foundations of America’s state political institutions, and accessibly explain the ways that the political powers of the states manifest themselves in the cultures, economies, and lives of everyday Americans, and always will.

In this provocative but balanced essay, Kenneth Minogue discusses the development of politics from the ancient world to the twentieth century. He prompts us to consider why political systems evolve, how politics offers both power and order in our society, whether democracy is always a good thing, and what future politics may have in the twenty-first century. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

An unrivalled combination of exceptional clarity and analysis

This introduction to politics is designed for first-year students in social sciences and for the general reader interested in the basics of contemporary politic. The text's various sections and lecture summaries deal with the important areas of political science, different systems of democratic government, the fall of communism and post-communist politics, as well as issues in Caribbean politics such as globalization, constitutional reform and regional integration.

Combining theory, comparative politics and international relations, Introduction to Politics, Fourth Edition, provides the most comprehensive introduction to the subject for first year undergraduate students, with the most global perspective. Written by three experts in the field, this book takes a balanced approached to the subject, serving as a strong foundation for further study. Assuming no prior knowledge, the authors use an accessible yet analytical approach which encourages critical analysis and debate, helping students to develop the vital skills they need for future studies and employment. The new edition has been fully updated with additional case studies and examples to help students to understand how key theories and principles apply in the context of real-world events. New to the fourth edition is a chapter on 'Non-Western Approaches', which helps students to bring more diverse perspectives to their study of politics. Furthermore, additional coverage of populism has been included, to reflect current events and developments in discourse. This ensures that Introduction to Politics, Fourth Edition is the most contemporary, relevant and essential guide for students new to the study of politics.