Synopses & Reviews
UNDERSTANDING POLITICS, the proven, best-selling introductory text for Introduction to Political Science, examines the complexities of politics and government in a way that students will find immediately fascinating. Solidly based on three fundamental premises-that politics is a pervasive force in modern society, that government is too important to be left in the hands of the few, and that in a democracy everyone has both the opportunity and the obligation to participate in public life-the text builds on these beliefs, and seeks to "educate to participate." UNDERSTANDINING POLITICS focuses on such pertinent concepts as democracy, dictatorship, citizenship, voting behavior, elections, leadership, ideologies, war, revolution, world politics, and public policy-fundamental concepts that provide students with a view of politics and economics that is at once lucid, nuanced, and empowering.
Synopsis
UNDERSTANDING POLITICS: IDEAS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ISSUES, Eighth Edition, is the best way to empower yourself with an understanding of the political forces that shape the United States and the world. With best-selling author Thomas Magstadt as your guide, you will gain a rich understanding of politics as a pervasive force in our society. You?ll explore the concepts of democracy, dictatorship, citizenship, and leadership. Not only will you come away with a solid grasp of politics but also with a better understanding of human nature, society, and the world!
About the Author
Thomas Magstadt earned his doctorate at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is the author NATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS: COMPARATIVE POLITICS IN REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE (Wadsworth, sixth edition forthcoming in 2010) and AN EMPIRE IF YOU CAN KEEP IT: POWER AND PRINCIPLE IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY (CQ Press, 2004). He has also published numerous journal articles and has been a frequent op-ed contributor to newspapers. He has taught at several colleges and universities and chaired departments at Augustana College (Sioux Falls) and the University of Nebraska (Kearney). He has taught at the Thunderbird School, the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, and the University of Missouri--Kansas City Alabama. He was a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic from 1994 to 1996. He now teaches in the European Studies Program at the University of Kansas.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: The Study of Politics. 2. The Idea of the Public Good: Ideologies and Isms. Part I: COMPARATIVE POLITICAL SYSTEMS: MODELS AND THEORIES. 3. Utopias: Model States. 4. Constitutional Democracy: Models of Representation. 5. The Authoritarian Model: Myth and Reality. 6. The Totalitarian Model: False Utopias. Part II: ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING DEMOCRACIES. 7. Parliamentary Democracy. 8. States in Transition: Between Democracy and Yesterday. 9. Developing Countries: Democracy or Dictatorship? Part III: POLITICS BY CIVIL MEANS: CITIZENS, LEADERS, AND POLICIES. 10. Political Socialization: The Making of A Citizen. 11. Political Participation: The Price of Influence. 12. Political Leadership: The Many Faces of Power. 13. Issues in Public Policy: Principles, Priorities, and Practices. Part IV: POLITICS BY VIOLENT MEANS: REVOLUTION, WAR, AND TERRORISM. 14. Revolution: In the Name of Justice. 15. Terrorism: Weapon of the Weak. 16. War: Politics by Other Means. Part V: POLITICS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT. 17. International Relations: The Struggle for Power. 18. International Organization(s): The Struggle for Order. Glossary. Acknowledgments. Index.