Synopses & Reviews
Written by six prominent scholars, European Politics in Transition presents a stimulating and comprehensive introduction to the political systems of post-World War II Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Eastern Europe, and the European Union.
Four key themes--economic management, relationships between countries, the challenges of democracy, and the political impact of social diversity--are used to illustrate the concept of politics in transition within each country and on a global level.In-depth coverage of each country focuses on (1) the making of the modern state, (2) political economy and development, (3) governance and policy-making, (4) representation and participation, and (5) politics in transition.Up-to-date coverage includes the implications of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's relationship with the United States; the Socialist resurgence in France; Germany's opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the attempt by the Schroeder Government to cut back on Germany's social welfare spending; the Major innovations in Italian politics introduced by Prime Minister Berlusconi; the challenges and opportunities posed for Poland and other countries in East-Central Europe by accession to the EU, and a section on the changes each country has made in response to the war on terror and how relationships with United States have changed in the wake of 9/11.EU coverage includes discussion of the Constitutional Treaty, the expansion of the EU and NATO, the effects of globalization on Europe, and immigration issues andcollective identities.
Synopsis
This comprehensive text offers a stimulating introduction to the political systems of post-World War II Europe. The Sixth Edition uses a region-by-region approach, focusing in turn on Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Eastern Europe, and the European Union. Four themes unify the text and illustrate the concept of politics in transition within each region on a global level: economic management; the relationships between countries; the challenges of democracy; and the political impact of social diversity. Standard, in-depth treatment of each region is organized around five topics: the making of the modern state; political economy and development; governance and policy-making; representation and participation; and politics in transition. Within these topical areas, highly relevant issues from politics today include the impact of Muslim immigrants on European society, Europe's socioeconomic malaise, global warming, the war on terror, and the continuing evolution of European-American relations since 9/11, among other pertinent matters.
About the Author
Mark Kesselman is Editor of the INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SCIENCE REVIEW and professor emeritus of political science at Columbia University. His research and teaching focuses on the political economy of advanced capitalism, with particular attention to French politics, the Left, and organized labor in Western Europe. He has published articles in the AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE REVIEW, COMPARATIVE POLITICS, WORLD POLITICS, POLITICS and SOCIETY, and elsewhere. He is author, co-author, or editor of THE FRENCH WORKERS' MOVEMENT: ECONOMIC CRISIS AND POLITICAL CHANGE (1984), EUROPEAN POLITICS IN TRANSITION (2009), and READINGS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS (2006). Joel Krieger is Norma Wilentz Hess Professor of Political Science at Wellesley College and chair of the Department of Political Science. His publications include BRITISH POLITICS IN THE GLOBAL AGE: CAN SOCIAL DEMOCRACY SURVIVE? (Polity, 1999), and REAGAN, THATCHER, AND THE POLITICS OF DECLINE (Oxford University Press, 1986). He is editor-in-chief of THE OXFORD COMPANION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS (Oxford University Press, 2012). Christopher S. Allen is an associate professor at the University of Georgia, where he teaches courses in comparative politics and political economy. He has held research fellowships at the Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins University, and from the German Marshall Fund. He is the editor of THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE GERMAN POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM (Berghahn, 1999), and is working on a study of democratic representation in parliamentary and presidential systems.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction What Makes Europe...Europe? The Framework: Four themes European Politics in Transition: Critical Junctures Conclusion II. The European Union and the Future of European Politics 1. The Coming of a European System Steps to Europe Europolitics and European Politics in Transition 2. Politics and Economics in the Making of the European Union A New Europe Born of the Cold War: 1950-1970 Preparing for Globalization? Crisis and Renewal, 1970-1989 Globalization and Uncertainty: From Maastricht to Enlargement "Western" Europe Embraces the Rest of Europe? Enlarging the Union Open Futures? 3. European Union Institutions The Institutional "Triangle" The European Court of Justice Newer Institutions 4. The EU and Its Policies The Single Market The EU Budget "Horizontal" Policies Sectoral Policies Trade Policy 5. Euro-Politics in Transition: Three Challenges Peace and Power: Europe and the World After 9/11 Prosperity Democracy and Effectiveness: EU Institutions Enlargement: The Institutional Challenge A Great Debate? The Dilemma of Democracy Implications of Euro-Politics for Democracy in Europe III. Britain 6. The Making of the Modern British State British Politics in Action Geographic Setting Critical Junctures Themes and Implications 7. Political Economy and Development The Postwar Settlement and Beyond The State and Economy Society and Economy The Dilemmas of European Integration Britain in the Era of Globalization 8. Governance and Policymaking Organization of the State The Executive Public and Semipublic Institutions Other State Institutions The European Dimension The Policymaking Process 9. Representation and Participation The Legislature Political Parties and the Party System Elections Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity 10. British Politics in Transition Political Challenges and Changing Agendas The Challenges of European Integration British Politics, Terrorism, and Britain's Relationship to the United States British Politics in Comparative Perspective IV. France 11. The Making of the Modern French State French Politics in Action Geographic Setting Critical Junctures Themes and Implications 12. Political Economy and Development The Postwar Settlement and Beyond Society and Economy The Dilemmas of European Integration France in the Era of Globalization 13. Governance and Policymaking Organization of the State The Executive Public and Semipublic Institutions Other State Institutions The European Dimension The Policymaking Process 14. Representation and Participation The Legislature Political Parties and the Party System Elections Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity Interests, Protest and Social Movements 15. French Politics in Transition Political Challenges and Changing Agendas The Challenges of European and Global Integration French Politics, Terrorism, and France's Relation to the United States French Politics in Comparative Perspective V. Germany 16. The Making of the Modern German State Germany Politics in Action Geographic Setting Critical Junctures Themes and Implications 17. Political Economy and Development The Postwar Settlement and Beyond State and Economy Society and Economy The Dilemmas of European Integration Germany in the Era of Globalization 18. Governance and Policymaking Organization of the State The Executive Public and Semipublic Institutions Other State Institutions The European Dimension The Policymaking Process 19. Representation and Participation The Legislature The Party System and Elections Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity Interests, Social Movements, and Protests 20. German Politics in Transition Political Challenges and Changing Agendas The Challenges of European Integration German Politics, Terrorism, and Germany's Relation to the United States Germany in Comparative Perspective VI. Italy 21. The Making the Modern Italian State Italian Politics in Action Geographic Setting Critical Junctures Themes and Implications 22. Political Economy and Development The Postwar Settlement and Beyond State and Economy Society and Economy The Dilemmas of European Integration Italy in the Era of Globalization 23. Governance and Policymaking The Organization of the State The Executive Other State Institutions The European Dimension Policy Processes: Continuity and Transition 24. Representation and Participation The Legislature Representative Principles and the Electoral System Political Parties and the Evolution of the Party System Elections Political Culture, Class, Citizenship, and Identity Interests, Social Movements, and Protest Conclusions 25. Italian Politics in Transition Political Challenges and Changing Agendas The Challenges of European Integration: Changes in the Economy and Industrial Relations Italian Politics, Terrorism, and Italy's Relation to the United States Italy in Comparative Perspective VII. East-Central Europe in Transition 26. The Making of Modern East-Central Europe East-Central European Politics in Action Geographic Setting Critical Junctures Themes and Implications 27. Political Economy and Development The Peculiar Settlement and Beyond State and Economy Society and Economy The Dilemmas of European Integration 28. Governance and Policymaking Organization of the State The Executive Public and Semipublic Institutions Other State Institutions The European Dimension The Policymaking Process 29. Representation and Participation The Legislature Political Parties, the Party System, and Elections Political Culture, Citizenship, and Identity Interests, Social Movements, and Protests 30. East-Central Europe in Transition Political Challenges and Changing Agendas The Challenges of European Integration East-Central European Politics, Terrorism, and Its Relation to the United States East-Central European Politics in Comparative Perspective