Foundations of Comparative Politics
First Edition
- William Roberts Clark - Texas A&M University, USA
- Matt Golder - Pennsylvania State University, USA
- Sona Nadenichek Golder - Pennsylvania State University, USA
September 2018 | 456 pages | CQ Press
Adapted from the groundbreaking bestseller, Principles of Comparative Politics, Third Edition!
Foundations of Comparative Politics presents a scientific approach to the rich world of comparative inquiry, research, and scholarship, providing students a guide to cross-national comparison and why it matters to them. This condensed, more accessible format introduces students to the key questions in comparative politics, using brief insights from tools such as decision, social choice, and game theory to help them understand clearly why some explanations for political phenomena are stronger than others. Foundations concentrates on describing the core features of regimes and institutions and on analyzing how these fundamental attributes drive variation in the economic and political outcomes we care about most. This approach more closely replicates what comparative scholars do: constructing and testing theories on political phenomena over basic memorization of country-specific facts—to explain, rather than describe. Illustrated with current examples that show the application of theory, students gain invaluable real-world skills in critical thinking and empirical analysis that they will carry with them long after the course is over.
Give your students the SAGE edge!
SAGE edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of free tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. Learn more at edge.sagepub.com/foundationscp1e.
Bundle with Global Issues for only $5 more!
Students receive the 2018 Edition of Global Issues: Selections from CQ Researcher for only $5 when bundled with the print version of Foundations of Comparative Politics.
Use Bundle ISBN: 978-1-5443-4442-3
Foundations of Comparative Politics presents a scientific approach to the rich world of comparative inquiry, research, and scholarship, providing students a guide to cross-national comparison and why it matters to them. This condensed, more accessible format introduces students to the key questions in comparative politics, using brief insights from tools such as decision, social choice, and game theory to help them understand clearly why some explanations for political phenomena are stronger than others. Foundations concentrates on describing the core features of regimes and institutions and on analyzing how these fundamental attributes drive variation in the economic and political outcomes we care about most. This approach more closely replicates what comparative scholars do: constructing and testing theories on political phenomena over basic memorization of country-specific facts—to explain, rather than describe. Illustrated with current examples that show the application of theory, students gain invaluable real-world skills in critical thinking and empirical analysis that they will carry with them long after the course is over.
Give your students the SAGE edge!
SAGE edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of free tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. Learn more at edge.sagepub.com/foundationscp1e.
Bundle with Global Issues for only $5 more!
Students receive the 2018 Edition of Global Issues: Selections from CQ Researcher for only $5 when bundled with the print version of Foundations of Comparative Politics.
Use Bundle ISBN: 978-1-5443-4442-3
Preface
About the Authors
PART I: What is Comparative Politics?
1: INTRODUCTION
2: WHAT IS SCIENCE?
3: WHAT IS POLITICS?
PART II: The Modern State: Democracy or Dictatorship?
4: THE ORIGINS OF THE MODERN STATE
5: THE ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
6: THE CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
7: DEMOCRATIC TRANSITIONS
PART III: Varieties of Democracy and Dictatorship
8: VARIETIES OF DICTATORSHIP
9: PROBLEMS WITH GROUP DECISION MAKING
10: PARLIAMENTARY, PRESIDENTIAL, AND SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRACIES
11: ELECTIONS AND ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
12: SOCIAL CLEAVAGES AND PARTY SYSTEMS
13: INSTITUTIONAL VETO PLAYERS
PART IV: Varieties of Democracy and Political Outcomes
14: CONSEQUENCES OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
References
Index
Supplements
Student Study Site
Student Study Site (Open Access)
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- Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts.
- Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material.
Instructor Resource Site
Instructor Teaching Site (Password Protected)
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- Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course.
- An answer key is provided for end-of-chapter problems.
- All tables and figures from the textbook are available for use in class lectures.