Ken Newton is Professor Emeritus at the University of Southampton. His recent publications include Surprising News: How the Media Affect–and Do Not Affect–Politics (2019), Evaluating Democratic Innovations (with Brigitte Geisel, 2012), The Wit and Humo(u)r of Political Science (with Lee Sigelman, Kenneth Meier and Bernard Grofman, 2010). Jan W. van Deth is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Comparative Social Research at the University of Mannheim (Germany) and Project Director at the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES). He published widely in the fields of political culture and participation, social change, and comparative research methods. He is a Corresponding Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

'Kenneth Newton and Jan W. van Deth have become so effective at presenting key theoretical concepts and a rich array of empirical material in an engaging and accessible style that I'm not at all surprised that Foundations of Comparative Politics is going into its fourth edition. This newest version provides an insightful analysis of the dynamics of populist authoritarianism and the future of democracy. It's first-rate work.' Ronald F. Inglehart, Lowenstein Professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of Michigan

• Introduction; Part I. The State: Origins and Development: 1. The development of the modern state; 2. States and democracy; 3. Democratic change; Part II. The Policy: Structures and Institutions: 4. Constitutions; 5. Presidential and parliamentary government; 6. Multi-level government: international, national and sub-national; 7. Policy making and legislating: executives and legislatures; 8. Implementation: the public bureaucracy; Part III. Citizens, Elites and Interest Meditation: 9. Political attitudes and behaviour; 10. Pressure groups and social movements; 11. The media; 12. Voters and elections; 13. Party government; Part IV. Policies and Performance: 14. Political ideologies; 15. Policy making; 16. Public speaking and public policies; 17. The future of the democratic state.