Modern Politics And Government

Some 150,000 copies of this book have been sold around the world, making Alan Ball's Modern Politics and Government one of the most widely used introductory texts available. Clearly written and straightforward, it demands no prior knowledge and is equally suitable for political science students and those taking a politics course as part of another social science degree. Starting from the definition of politics and the history of its study, it proceeds to introduce a variety of approaches and substantive aspects of political life, drawing examples from a wide range of states and political systems. The author discusses such basic concepts as power, authority, legitimacy, and political culture. He analyzes the characteristics underlying the different systems, including the post-communist systems that have emerged in the former USSR and Eastern Europe since 1989. The book looks at the major elements of the political process, judiciaries, and the political role of the military. The final part has been rewritten to analyze fully the nature of political change in the light of new approaches in political science and the collapse of communism.

This substantially revised 7th edition of a classic text includes a new chapter on globalization and regionalization and broader coverage of democratic politics, interests and movements; of the media; of social and cultural influences on political behaviour and of public management. It has been systematically revised and updated throughout in the accessible down-to-earth style that has made it such a popular student choice for over 30 years.

This revised new edition is a short introduction to politics, which has been updated to cover a wide variety of new themes and issues from neo-institutionalism and public choice to governance, globalization, regional integration, civil society and democratization.

Studies the impact of the economic dimension on political issues and decision making.

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia examines the political life of Canada's dynamic Pacific province. Each of the seventeen chapters, written by well-known experts, provides an up-to-date portrait and analysis of one of the many faces of B.C. politics. Taken together they provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the dominant themes and issues that have been the distinguishing features of the province's political life. Key elements of the book include sections on: the political setting, with discussions of BC's political culture and economy, and its relations with the rest of Canada and its own Native communities; B.C.-style politics, which focus on electoral and parliamentary party politics, the changing place of women in BC public life, and the critical role of the media in explaining it all to British Columbians; governing the province, with accounts of the premier and cabinet, the bureaucracy that delivers most government services, and the complex system -- from the police to the courts -- that provides the administration of justice and the rule of law; and contemporary policy issues, with clear explanations of the intricacies of fiscal and social policy, analyses of recent conflicts over forest policy and environmental protection, a discussion of the role of lobbyists, and an examination of what difference is made when NDP governments are elected. Anyone interested in B.C. or its politics will find this book an informative, up-to-date record of the processes and events that have marked B.C.'s past and will continue to shape its future.

Organized to follow the structure of a standard introduction to American politics text, this unique reader highlights the role of diversity in U.S. politics through exploration of engaging, contemporary political issues. Based on the thesis that demographic diversity in America plays an important role in political outcomes and policy processes, this reader covers a wide range of contemporary issues and encompasses a myriad of group cleavages. Carefully selected readings from both academic and popular sources, in conjunction with introductions by the editors and end of chapter resources, present complex issues in an accessible, engaging way.

This accessible introduction to comparative politics offers a fresh, state-centered perspective on the fundamentals of political science.