Providing a foundation for a comparative understanding of political life, POLITICS IN A CHANGING WORLD includes in-depth chapters on political science concepts (ideology, political culture, interest groups, governmental institutions, parties) followed by a series of brief country studies. The concepts and country studies help students acquire a better understanding of the actors and institutions that play a part in diverse political systems, how and why they act in relation to one another, and what their actions mean for the political system and its citizens. The Seventh Edition is thoroughly updated throughout, including coverage of the global economic crisis, the 2012 United States election, the Conservative Party-Liberal Democratic Party coalition and the victory of a new Conservative Prime Minister in Great Britain, and the democratic upheavals in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world.
Author(s): Marcus E. Ethridge; Howard Handelman
Edition: 7
Publisher: Cengage Learning
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: 562
Cover
Title
Statement
Copyright
Contents
Preface
About the Authors
Part I: Fundamentals
Ch 1: Politics, Government, and Political Science
Introduction
Politics and Government Defined
Government Functions
Kinds of Governments
The Stakes of Politics
Politics in a Changing World
Conclusion: Why Study Political Science?
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 2: Ideologies: Images of Political Life
Introduction
Liberalism and Conservatism
Capitalism
Marxism
Socialism
Other Ideologies
Conclusion: Ideology Shapes Political Community and Political Conflict
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Part II: Political Behavior
Ch 3: Political Culture and Socialization
Introduction
Political Culture: Origins of the Concept
Agents of Political Socialization
Classifying Political Cultures
The Evolution of Political Cultures
Conclusion: The Utility of Political Culture
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 4: Public Opinion and Elections
Introduction
Influences on Public Opinion and Voting Choice
Voter Turnout
The Electoral Process and Campaign Money
Electoral Systems
Public Opinion Polling
Conclusion: Elections and Public Opinion—The People’s Voice?
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 5: Political Parties
Introduction
What Are Political Parties?
The Functions of Political Parties
The Origins of Political Parties
Party Systems
Types of Political Parties
Conclusion: Parties in a Changing World
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 6: Interest Groups
Introduction
Interest Groups: What They Are and How They Work
The Power of Interest Groups
The Growth of Interest Groups
How Interest Groups Are Formed
Conclusion: Interest Groups—A Challenge for Democracy?
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Part III: Political Institutions
Ch 7: Legislative Institutions
Introduction
Lawmaking
Legislatures: Features, Functions, and Structure
Representation
Party Responsibility and Legislative Behavior
The Changing Role of Modern Legislatures
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 8: Executive Institutions, Political Leadership, and Bureaucracy
Introduction
The Functions of Executive Institutions
Kinds of Executive Institutions
Limits on Executive Power
Approaches to Executive Leadership
Bureaucratic Institutions
What Is Bureaucracy?
Bureaucratic Functions
The Growth of Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy Evaluated
Bureaucracy and Democracy
Can Bureaucracy Be Improved?
Executives and Bureaucracies—From Policy Leadership to Policy Implementation
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 9: Judicial Institutions
Introduction
Judicial Functions
Justice and the Political System
Kinds of Law
Judicial Institutions: Structure and Design
Judicial Decisions and Public Policy
Perspectives on Judicial Policymaking
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Part IV: Politics in Selected Nations
Ch 10: U.S. Government: The Dilemmas of Democracy
Introduction
The Founding Period
Governmental Institutions
Participation in U.S. Politics
U.S. Politics: Prospects and Challenges
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 11: Great Britain: A Traditional Democracy
The Relevance of British Politics
Contemporary British Society and Political Culture
Political Parties and Voting
Interest Groups
The Structure of Government
Publc Policy and The British Economy
Conclusion: Great Britain in the Twenty-First Century
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 12: Russia: From Authoritarianism to Democracy and Back
The Relevance of the Russian Experience
Russia and the Former Soviet Republics
The Rise and Fall of Soviet Communism
The Birth of a New Political System
Restructuring the Economy
Russia in the Early Twenty-First Century and Beyond
The Concentration of Political Power
Conclusion: The Russian Experience with Democratization
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 13: China: Searching for a New Vision
Introduction
The Relevance of Chinese Politics
The Chinese Revolution and Its Origins
The Evolution of Chinese Politics and Society
Reforming the Chinese Economy
China’s Political System
Conclusion: China’s Uncertain Future
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 14: The Politics of Developing Nations
Introduction
The Meaning of Underdevelopment
Theories of Underdevelopment and Development
Sources of Political Conflict
Problems of Political Participation
Women in Third World Society and Politics
Third World Political Institutions
Conclusion: Recent Developments and Future Trends
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 15: Mexico: The Birth Pangs of Democracy
Introduction
The Relevance of Mexican Politics
Mexico’s Formative Years and the Legacy of the Mexican Revolution
The Post Revolutionary Order
The Making of a Modern Economy
The Struggle for Political Development
Conclusion: A Developing Democracy
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Part V: International Relations
Ch 16: Approaches to International Relations
Introduction
International Relations Versus Domestic Politics
Idealists and Realists
War and International Relations
Foreign Policy Decision Making
International Political Economy
International Law and Organization
Ethics and International Relations
Conclusion: War, Trade, Foreign Policy, and the Stakes of International Politics
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Ch 17: A Changing World Order
Introduction
From the End of the Cold War to the Beginning of an Uncertain Future
Policing Trouble Spots: A New World Order or a World without Order?
The Changing Nature of the International Arms Race
Current Trends in World Trade: Economic Unification and Beyond
North–South Relations
Protecting the Environment
Human Rights
Women’s Rights
International Terrorism
Conclusion: The Changing Face of International Relations
Key Terms and Concepts
Discussion Questions
Notes
Glossary
Index
