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Introducing Comparative Politics
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Introducing Comparative Politics
Concepts and Cases in Context

Fifth Edition


January 2020 | 648 pages | CQ Press
“The graphics in the book are extremely reader-friendly. The language is clear and easy for students to follow. Instructor resources are quite helpful (and a key part of my decision-making). Overall, this is the best comparative politics text for undergrads that I have found. It covers all the important topics in the field and presents them in a way that is accessible to students.” 

—Laura N. Bell, West Texas A&M University

Organized thematically around important questions in comparative politics—who rules? what explains political behavior? where and why?—Introducing Comparative Politics, Fifth Edition, integrates a set of extended case studies of 11 countries that vividly illustrate issues in cross-national context. Serving as touchstones, the cases are placed within the chapters where they make the most sense —not separated from the theory or in a separate volume—helping students make connections between the two earlier in the semester. The book’s hybrid organization gives students a more holistic view of comparative politics.

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LMS Cartridge (formally known as SAGE Coursepacks)
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SAGE course outcomes: Measure Results, Track Success
Outlined in your text and mapped to chapter learning objectives, SAGE course outcomes are crafted with specific course outcomes in mind and vetted by advisors in the field. See how SAGE course outcomes tie in with this book’s chapter-level objectives at edge.sagepub.com/orvis5e.



 
World Map
 
Regional and Country Coverage
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
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

 
Plan of the Book

 
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

 
Case Studies of State Formation

 
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

 
Case Studies in Participation and Representation

 
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?

 
States and Markets Around the World

 
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

 
Case Studies in Development

 
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

Instructor Resources
edge.sagepub.com/orvis5e


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LMS cartridge included with this title for use in Blackboard, Canvas, Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L), and Moodle

The LMS cartridge makes it easy to import this title’s instructor resources into your learning management system (LMS). These resources include:

  • Test banks
  • Editable chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides
  • Sample course syllabi
  • Lecture notes
  • All tables and figures from the textbook 
Don’t use an LMS platform?

You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site.
Student Resource Site

edge.sagepub.com/orvis5e

 

The open-access Student Study Site makes it easy for students to maximize their study time, anywhere, anytime. It offers flashcards that strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts, as well as learning objectives that reinforce the most important material.

“The graphics in the book are extremely reader-friendly. The language is clear and easy for students to follow. Instructor resources are quite helpful (and a key part of my decision-making). Overall, this is the best comparative politics text for undergrads that I have found. It covers all the important topics in the field and presents them in a way that is accessible to students.”

Laura N. Bell
West Texas A&M University

“An excellent resource for the political scientist who is teaching comparative politics for the first time.”

Immanuel Ness
City University of New York, Brooklyn College

”Orvis and Drogus have authored a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to comparative politics which will engage today’s undergraduates.”

Jeffrey Key
Sweet Briar College

“In depth case studies and analysis of particular topics in comparative politics”

Eli C. Kaul
Kent State University

“This is a great introductory comparative politics text for both majors and non-majors. The material is accessible for non-discipline students, and easily lends itself to connections with other academic disciplines. The structure of the content is flexible enough to allow for the integration of current events.”

Erika Cornelius Smith
Nichols College

“Organizes the material and places it into context with the case studies.”

Sandra K. Rana
Tulsa Community College

- Excellent use of case studies to illuminate theoretical discussions.
- Good introduction that explores theoretical approaches not found in other books.
- Up-to-date material on identity politics, authoritarianism, and public policy.

Dr David Matijasevich
Political Studies Dept, Capilano Univ-North Vancouver
July 3, 2023

The book is well-organized and features well-chosen case studies that survey different regime types with appropriate coverage of political, economic, and social features of different countries. I also like the wide-ranging teaching material provided for new and young instroctors like myself.

Mr Weiss Mehrabi
Political Science Dept, University Of Kentucky
July 31, 2021
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • Chapter 4 includes a new section on social class as an identity category, with a case study from the UK. 

  • In Chapter 6, the section on political parties has been reorganized to emphasize the different ways in which parties mobilize support and includes an extended section on the global rise of populism. 

  • A new case study in Chapter 7 looks at the “resistance movement” that emerged in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s election. 

  • Based on recent debates in the field on authoritarianism, Chapter 8 has been reorganized to focus on rational-choice approaches to understanding authoritarian rule via the dynamics of dictators, allies, and opponents. 

  • Chapter 9 has been reorganized into two broad sections: Transition to Democracy and Transition to Authoritarian Rule. Students will read about the latest scholarship in the field, including "authoritarianization" as well as traditional topics such as military coups and the demise of democracy.  

  • Chapter 10 includes a new, extended section around globalization that encourages students to think critically about inequality in wealthy democracies. 

  • New chapter-opening learning objectives guide students’ reading of the chapters and help them focus on the important points.

KEY FEATURES:

  • SAGE course outcomes help you track and measure student success. Crafted with specific course outcomes in mind and vetted by advisors in the field, SAGE course outcomes clearly define and benchmark the knowledge and skills students are expected to achieve upon completion of your course. 

  • Core country case studies are introduced in Chapter 1 and then revisited throughout the book, allowing instructors to tie multiple case studies to one theory or concept. The case studies include coverage of Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, India, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each case includes a Case Synopses at the beginning to improving student comprehension of the material. 

  • In Context fact boxes put case studies and data into regional context. 

  • Critical Inquiry features in every chapter highlight methodological issues in comparative politics, providing a gateway for empirical study and analysis.

  • A Country and Concept table in each chapter displays key indicators for core countries to offer at-a-glance context and comparison.
  • More than a hundred full color tables, figures, and maps help students visualize comparative data and better understand concepts.  

  • Chapter-opening key questions, a marginal glossary, as well as end-of-chapter lists for key terms, works cited, suggested reading, and web resources help students review, research, and study.

For instructors

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