Government And Politics In Western Europe

Government and Politics in Western Europe offers a clear and accessible, yet sophisticated, comparative introduction to the political institutions of Western Europe's four largest countries: Britain, France, Italy, and Germany. The third edition of this successful and established student textbook has been thoroughly revised to cover not only developments at national level, but also the growing integration of national politics with the politics of the European Union, including: Two completely new chapters on the European Union which set the EU in the context of the national political systems studied elsewhere in the book, supplying a concise but thorough introduction to European institutions, and presenting the main theoretical perspectives on the EU. An extensive updating covering such recent events as the Left's election victories of 1997 in Britain and France and the collapse of the Italian party system in the mid-1990s. New tables and diagrams providing invaluable reference material for key facts and processes. Clearly written and comprehensive, this text will be essential reading for all students of comparative politics, European studies, and West European politics.

Providing comprehensive and up-to-date information about each country and Western Europe as a whole, the text includes a unique chapter on the European Union that discusses the latest developments and studies the drive towards a European Union.

Unique in offering an analysis of four major European democratic systems (the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and West Germany), this first volume in the Comparative European Politics series combines theoretical approaches with empirical material. Organized around themes rather than countries, the book includes chapters on political cleavages, political parties and pressure groups, governmental institutions, and constitutional courts. This English edition has been substantially revised by the author to include a fuller discussion of the French system. Published in association with the European Consortium for Political Research, the Comparative European Politics series is geared for students and teachers of political science. Each volume provides an up-to-date survey of the current state of knowledge and research on an issue of major significance in European government and politics.

Politics and Society in Western Europe is a comprehensive introduction for students of West European politics and of comparative politics. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated to meet with the new needs of undergraduate students as they come to terms with a changing social and political landscape in Europe. This textbook provides a full analysis of the political systems of 18 Western European countries, their political parties, elections, and party systems, as well as the structures of government at local, regional, national and European Union levels. Throughout the book, key theoretical ideas are accessibly introduced and examined against the very latest empirical data on civil society and the state.

This text provides a comprehensive introduction to local government and urban politics in contemporary Western Europe. It is the first book to map and explain the significant processes of change characterizing local government systems and to place these in a genuinely comparative context. Students are introduced to the traditional structures and institutions of local government and shown how these have been transforming in response to increased economic and political competition, new ideas, institutional reform and the Europeanization of public policies in Europe. At the books core is the perceived transition from local government to local governance. This key development is traced thematically across a w

Why do some countries have 'Culture Wars' over morality issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage while other countries hardly experience any conflict? This book argues that morality issues only generate major conflicts in political systems with a significant conflict between religious and secular parties.

This book examines why Western European states have recently introduced citizenship tests, integration courses, contracts, and oath ceremonies. These requirements are perceived as instruments of civic integration, to enable immigrants to be better participants in society and the labor market. However, are all states introducing these requirements for the same reason?