Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices

by Lowell Barrington

Overview

This is a mid-level text intended for four-year schools. Comparative Politics is generally taken by political science majors, but general elective enrollments have continued to increase since 9/11.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618493197
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	02/06/2009
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	592
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Lowell W. Barrington is Associate Professor, Assistant Chair, and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science at Marquette University. His teaching and research specializations include post-Communist politics, ethnicity and nationalism, democratization, and political science research methodology. Dr. Barrington received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1995.

Table of Contents

PART I: COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THEMES AND APPROACHES. 1. The Comparative Study of Politics. 2. The Setting of Politics: Societies, Nations, and States. PART II: ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND IDENTITY STRUCTURES. 3. Economic Class, Development, and Globalization. 4. Ideas as Structures: Political Culture and Ideology. 5. Identity Structure. PART III: POLITICAL STRUCTURES. 6. Political Systems and Their Rules. 7. Legislatures and Executives. 8. The Unelected Components of Government: Judiciaries, Bureaucracies, and Militaries. PART IV: ELITES, MASSES, AND POLITICAL DECISION MAKING. 9. Political Participation, Clientelism, and Interest Groups. 10. Political Parties and Electoral Systems. 11. Leadership and Individual Political Choices. PART V: USING STRUCTURES AND CHOICES TO UNDERSTAND POLITICAL OUTCOMES. 12. Regime Transitions. 13. Public Policy and Government Performance. Epilogue: Structured Choices and the Comparative Study of Politics.

Editorial Reviews

"The Barrington text is a new standard for teaching comparative politics. It combines clear concept conceptualization with outstanding application. It is fundamentally comparative and reinforces the importance of comparative study and new knowledge creation by political scientists."

"This is one of the best books on the market that blends the country approach with an emphasis on concepts in the study of comparative politics. If you want just one book for your course, rather than two, then this book may be for you."

From the Publisher