Comparative Politics

Anastasia Kuz-Grady, University of North Carolina, Wilmington

Comparative Politics is the best text on the market. It encourages critical thinking, promotes a hands-on comparativist experience, and thoroughly engages students with the major themes, debates, and discussions in comparative politics.

Cheryl Van Den Handel, Northeastern State University The mix of theory, methodology, and case studies introduces comparative analysis in an accessible way. My students appreciate the text's readability.

J. Tyler Dickovick was the Grigsby Term Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University. Jonathan Eastwood is a Professor of Sociology at Washington and Lee University. Robin LeBlanc is a Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University and teaches classes on global politics, gender and politics, political philosophy, urban community, and protest. Zoila Ponce de Leon is an Assistant Professor of Politics and a core faculty member of the Latin American and Caribean Studies Program at Washington and Lee University.

Brief Contents PART I: Comparative Political Analysis 1 The Comparative Approach: An Introduction 2 Theories, Hypotheses, and Evidence PART II: The State, Development, -Democracy, and Authoritarianism 3 The State 4 Political Economy 5 Development 6 Democracy and Democratization 7 Authoritarian Regimes and Democratic Breakdown PART III: Institutions of Government 8 Constitutions and Constitutional Design 9 Legislatures and Legislative Elections 10 Executives 11 Political Parties, Party Systems, and Interest Groups PART IV: Politics, Society, and Culture 12 Revolutions and Contention 13 Nationalism and National Identity 14 Race, Ethnicity, and Gender 15 Ideology and Religion in Modern Politics PART V: The Comparative-International Nexus 16 Comparative Politics and International Relations PART VI: Country Profiles and Cases Brazil China France Germany India Indonesia Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) Japan Mexico Nigeria Russia (Russian Federation) South Africa United Kingdom United States Contents Insights xv Preface xvii Maps of the World xxx PART I: Comparative Political Analysis Chapter 1 The Comparative Approach: An -Introduction Asking Why: Research Questions in Comparative Politics Major Questions in Comparative Politics Empirical Arguments Versus Normative Arguments Solving Intellectual Puzzles: A Contemporary Analogy Concepts Features of Good Concepts Conceptualization Operationalizing: From Concepts to Measures Empirical Evidence Facts and Evidence Cases and Case Studies The Comparative Method Variables and Comparison Most-Similar-Systems Design Most-Different-Systems Design Comparative Checking Within-Case Comparison Is the Study of Politics a Science? The Limits of the -Comparative Method Chapter 2 Theories, Hypotheses, and Evidence Introduction to Theories, Hypotheses, and Evidence Theories Hypotheses How Theories Emerge and Are Used Types of Evidence Hypothesis Testing Correlation Causation Critiques: Using Theories and Evidence Empirical Critiques: Using Deviant Cases Theoretical Critiques: Improving Theories and Hypotheses The Challenges of Measurement: Biases, Errors, and Validity THINKING COMPARATIVELY Qualities of Good Analysis and Argumentation Step 1: Asking Good Questions: Why? Step 2: Hypothesis Testing: Generating Good Hypotheses and Testing Them Fairly Step 3: Balancing Argumentation: Evidence, Originality, and Meaningfulness PART II: The State, Development, -Democracy, and Authoritarianism Chapter 3 The State Concepts The Modern State State Capacity Fragile States The State-Society Relationship Types Characteristics of Modern States Bureaucracy Impersonality Sovereignty Traditional Functions of States Defense Policing Taxation Order, Administration, and Legibility Causes and Effects: Why Did States Emerge and -Expand? Political or Conflict Theories Economic Theories Cultural Theories Diffusion Theories THINKING COMPARATIVELY Great Britain, the United -Kingdom, or Neither? State and Nation in England and Scotland CASES IN CONTEXT Mexico France United Kingdom Nigeria Chapter 4 Political Economy Concepts Inequality Employment and Inflation Types Markets and States in Modern Economies Markets and Economic Performance States and Economic Performance Economic Functions of Modern States States and Economic Management Investments in Human Capital: Education and Health Infrastructure and Other Public Goods Welfare State Functions Causes and Effects: Why Do Welfare States Emerge? Cultural Changes Industrial Capitalism Mobilization and Political Action International Learning Effects THINKING COMPARATIVELY Welfare States in the Nordic Countries: What Can We Learn and How? CASES IN CONTEXT United States United Kingdom Japan Germany Chapter 5 Development Concepts Types Poverty Social Outcomes and Human Development Migration and Development Gender Relations and Racial and Ethnic Identities Satisfaction and Happiness Cultura