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Introduction to Political Science, 2nd edition

Published by Pearson (May 6, 2020) © 2021

  • Craig Parsons

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For courses in Introduction to Political Science.

Teach students how, not what, to think about politics

Introduction to Political Science: How to Think for Yourself about Politics helps students learn how to think critically about various political topics, which helps them become more comfortable with politics itself. Guiding students through the complex ideas that characterize politics, author Craig Parsons offers a systematic presentation of various practices and ideologies, as well as the differing explanations for why people act as they do.

The 2nd Edition has been updated to reflect recent issues including the evolving varieties of authoritarianism and worldwide tensions over migration.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Throughout the text, author Craig Parsons' emphasizes core concepts: the practices “on the ground” that are the focus when studying comparative politics, American politics and international relations.
  • Attention to contrasting political ideologies fosters connections to basic political theory.
  • Examples of alternative explanations offer an accessible entry point into theoretical debates.
  • An emphasis on alternatives highlights our diverse world as well as students' freedom and responsibility to figure out what they think about politics.
  • Evocative photos, charts and graphic figures provide anchors for visual learning and boost understanding.
  • Cross-case and within-case methodological approaches and evidence help students learn how to evaluate explanations.

New and updated features of this title

  • UPDATED: Substantial updates help students connect course content to their evolving lives. The 2nd Edition reflects recent developments at home and abroad. Highlights of new and revised topics include:
    • New and expanded material on strands of conservatism and how they relate to President Trump in Chapter 3
    • Coverage of the evolving varieties of illiberal democracies and authoritarianism in Chapter 5
    • More extensive discussion of how the Left of the Democratic Party relates to socialist ideas in Chapter 9
    • Coverage of the politics around the nuclear deal with Iran and both the centralization and vulnerabilities of Xi Jinping's rule in China in Chapter 11
  • UPDATED: Thoroughly revised charts and data throughout the text reflect the latest available information.

Features of Revel for the 2nd Edition

  • NEW: A fresh series of videos brings to life key moments in politics.
  • UPDATED: Data-rich interactive maps, figures, and tables with Social Explorer technology let students interact with real data to explore the concepts they've just read about. The 2nd Edition includes an expanded selection of data interactives.
  • Current Events Bulletins bring currency into your classroom with author-written articles that connect key concepts with real-life current New or revised articles added regularly help students engage with the course.

1. Introduction
2. Political Philosophy and Its Offshoot: Political Science
3. Ideologies
4. States
5. Governments
6. Individual Participation and Collective Action
7. Inside Liberal Democracy I: Representation
8. Power and Policy-Making in Liberal Democracies
9. Political Economies
10. Economic Development and Growth
11. Political Change: Authoritarianism and Democratization
12. Political Violence: War and Terrorism
13. Globalization and Governance

About our authors

Craig Parsons is a professor of political science and a specialist in comparative European politics at the University of Oregon. After growing up in Chico, California, he earned degrees from Stanford University, Sciences Po Paris and the University of California, Berkeley. His authored or edited books include A Certain Idea of Europe (Cornell University Press, 2003), The State of the European Union: With US or Against US (Oxford University Press, 2005), Immigration and the Transformation of Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2006), How to Map Arguments in Political Science (Oxford University Press, 2007) and Constructing the International Economy (Cornell University Press, 2010). He has also published many articles and book chapters on the European Union, national-level European politics, the U.S. Congress, and a variety of theoretical and methodological issues in political science.

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