Good Society, The: An Introduction to Comparative Politics, 3rd edition

REVEL™ is Pearson’s newest way of delivering our respected content. Fully digital and highly engaging, REVEL offers an immersive learning experience designed for the way today's students read, think, and learn. Enlivening course content with media interactives and assessments, REVEL empowers educators to increase engagement with the course, and to better connect with students.
REVEL for The Good Society: An Introduction to Comparative Politics takes a comprehensive look at the question: Why are some governments better than others? Exploring issues related to why certain political institutions provide a better quality of life for their citizens, students can learn not only how different political systems work, but how they can work better. Redefining the common case-study and thematic approaches used in other courses on the subject, REVEL for The Good Society approaches comparative politics in a relevant and meaningful way that helps students understand the way different governments function.
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• Interactives and Videos
Integrated within the narrative, interactives and videos empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, and its videos are brief, so students stay focused and on task.
• QuizzingLocated throughout REVEL, quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding at regular intervals before moving on.
• A Fully Mobile Learning Experience
REVEL enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
• Familiar Learning and Study ToolsHighlighting, note taking, and a glossary personalize the learning experience. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.

Superior assignability and tracking tools that help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts

• Assignment Calendar
REVEL allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
• Performance DashboardREVEL lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining — which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.

The Good Society: An Introduction to Comparative Politics uses the following features to facilitate learning:

Provides a comprehensive introduction to the idea of comparative politics.

• Defines the “good society,” establishing its criteria and how to apply it to different countries.
• Discusses the role of political institutions in shaping societal and individual behavior.
• Demonstrates how different institutional arrangements affect people’s quality of life.
• Introduces key concepts such as the state, political participation, political culture, and economy.
• Defines the key differences between authoritarian and democratic countries.

Chapter content is newly reflective of changes in political institutions and theory relevant to the subject.

• UPDATED! Chapter 1 provides a more vivid representation of how higher economic growth does not necessarily result in better living conditions, with new relevant examples.
• UPDATED! Chapter 3 on political participation includes a new discussion on the impact of social media on political systems. It also acknowledges two recent political protests, the Arab Spring in the Middle East and the Occupy Movement in Europe and the U.S.
• UPDATED! Chapter 4 approaches the topic of political culture and identity by:
  • Describing the civic culture and self-expression methods
  • Analyzing social capital and collective action
  • Examining how political groups and identities are formed based on national, religious, and ethnic identities
  • Exploring why religious struggles often become violent
  • Investigating the relationship between trust in government and societal well-being
• UPDATED! Chapter 6 refocuses its approach on authoritarianism by discussing how such regimes solve issues of power and control.
  • NEW! A discussion of why most authoritarian regimes survived the Arab Spring is included.
• UPDATED! Chapter 7 focuses on the current “crested” period of democracy, emphasizing that democratic governments are neither growing or receding in number worldwide, but arguing that democracy has neither consolidated nor collapsed.
• UPDATED! Chapter 8 on economic and human development incorporates new scholarship by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson on extractive and inclusive institutions.
• UPDATED! All chapters covering the political systems of individual countries have been revised and updated with the most recent occurrences in each.
  • The chapter on Germany has been updated to include discussion of the 2013 election results, its handling of the Great Recession, and its emergence as the “indispensable nation” within Europe.
  • The chapter on Sweden includes enhanced coverage of foreign policy and examines the cultural and political challenges of immigration.
  • The chapter on Brazil discusses the popular protests of 2013, the effect of slowing economic growth on politics, and the rise of radically based politics.
  • The chapter on Nigeria examines the weak state more closely and includes new material on Boko Haram, the nation’s growing Islamic fundamentalist group.
  • The chapter on Iran discusses the victory of Hassan Rouhani in the 2013 elections and considers whether or not he will be able to carry out his reform program.
  • The chapter on Russia includes new information on the personalist regime of Vladimir Putin and his efforts to maintain authoritarian control by means of nationalism, anti-Westernism, and conservative social values of the Russian Orthodox Church.
  • The chapter on China explores the transition of Chinese Communist Party leadership to Xi Jinping and the issues he faces regarding economic and environmental protests, income and regional inequality, and the slowing of economic growth.

NEW! Case studies are used comprehensively throughout the book to understand the broader purpose of government, rather than as a means compare different political systems.

• NEW! Case studies on the United Kingdom have been added, replacing the United States as the model for extreme market democracies. This will be more useful in teaching American students about comparative politics as it forces them to understand a government other than their own.

Pedagogical features enhance student learning and emphasize the practice of comparative politics.

• NEW! Learning Objectives appear at the beginning of each chapter and subheading to signal students what they should expect and take away from each chapter.
• UPDATED! Scatter diagrams have been improved with the addition of country names to location within the diagram, making it easier for students to see relationships among countries.
• In Depth boxes further examine how conceptual topics can be applied to specific countries.
• In Brief boxes highlight key concepts within each chapter.

• Key concepts are provided in boldface to enhance student retention of major topics.

• Suggested readings are provided at the end of each chapter to continue student learning outside the classroom.
• Numerous maps, figures, and tables present important data on geography, population, economic performance, and indicators of well-being to help students relate key concepts to specific countries.

Dynamic content matched to the way today's students read, think, and learn

• Interactives and VideosIntegrated within the narrative, interactives and videos empower students to engage with concepts and take an active role in learning. REVEL's unique presentation of media as an intrinsic part of course content brings the hallmark features of Pearson's bestselling titles to life. REVEL's media interactives have been designed to be completed quickly, and its videos are brief, so students stay focused and on task.
• Quizzing
Located throughout REVEL, quizzing affords students opportunities to check their understanding at regular intervals before moving on.
• A Fully Mobile Learning ExperienceREVEL enables students to read and interact with course material on the devices they use, anywhere and anytime. Responsive design allows students to access REVEL on their tablet devices and smart phones, with content displayed clearly in both portrait and landscape view.
• Familiar Learning and Study Tools
Highlighting, note taking, and a glossary personalize the learning experience. Educators can add notes for students, too, including reminders or study tips.

Superior assignability and tracking tools that help educators make sure students are completing their reading and understanding core concepts

• Assignment CalendarREVEL allows educators to indicate precisely which readings must be completed on which dates. This clear, detailed schedule helps students stay on task by eliminating any ambiguity as to which material will be covered during each class. And when students know what is expected of them, they're better motivated to keep up.
• Performance Dashboard
REVEL lets educators monitor class assignment completion as well as individual student achievement. It offers actionable information that helps educators intersect with their students in meaningful ways, such as points earned on quizzes and tests and time on task. Of particular note, the trending column reveals whether students' grades are improving or declining – which helps educators identify students who might need help to stay on track.

Chapter content is newly reflective of changes in political institutions and theory relevant to the subject.

• UPDATED! Chapter 1 provides a more vivid representation of how higher economic growth does not necessarily result in better living conditions, with new relevant examples.
• UPDATED! Chapter 3 on political participation includes a new discussion on the impact of social media on political systems. It also acknowledges two recent political protests, the Arab Spring in the Middle East and the Occupy Movement in Europe and the U.S.
• UPDATED! Chapter 4 approaches the topic of political culture and identity by:
  • Describing the civic culture and self-expression methods
  • Analyzing social capital and collective action
  • Examining how political groups and identities are formed based on national, religious, and ethnic identities
  • Exploring why religious struggles often become violent
  • Investigating the relationship between trust in government and societal well-being
• UPDATED! Chapter 6 refocuses its approach on authoritarianism by discussing how such regimes solve issues of power and control.
  • A discussion of why most authoritarian regimes survived the Arab Spring is included.
• UPDATED! Chapter 7 focuses on the current “crested” period of democracy, emphasizing that democratic governments are neither growing or receding in number worldwide, but arguing that democracy has neither consolidated nor collapsed.
• UPDATED! Chapter 8 on economic and human development incorporates new scholarship by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson on extractive and inclusive institutions.
• UPDATED! All chapters covering the political systems of individual countries have been revised and updated with the most recent occurrences in each.
  • The chapter on Germany has been updated to include discussion of the 2013 election results, its handling of the Great Recession, and its emergence as the “indispensable nation” within Europe.
  • The chapter on Sweden includes enhanced coverage of foreign policy and examines the cultural and political challenges of immigration.
  • The chapter on Brazil discusses the popular protests of 2013, the effect of slowing economic growth on politics, and the rise of radically based politics.
  • The chapter on Nigeria examines the weak state more closely and includes new material on Boko Haram, the nation’s growing Islamic fundamentalist group.
  • The chapter on Iran discusses the victory of Hassan Rouhani in the 2013 elections and considers whether or not he will be able to carry out his reform program.
  • The chapter on Russia includes new information on the personalist regime of Vladimir Putin and his efforts to maintain authoritarian control by means of nationalism, anti-Westernism, and conservative social values of the Russian Orthodox Church.
  • The chapter on China explores the transition of Chinese Communist Party leadership to Xi Jinping and the issues he faces regarding economic and environmental protests, income and regional inequality, and the slowing of economic growth.

Case studies are used comprehensively throughout the book to understand the broader purpose of government, rather than as a means compare different political systems.

• Case studies on the United Kingdom have been added, replacing the United States as the model for extreme market democracies. This will be more useful in teaching American students about comparative politics as it forces them to understand a government other than their own.

Pedagogical features enhance student learning and emphasize the practice of comparative politics.

• Learning Objectives appear at the beginning of each chapter and subheading to signal students what they should expect and take away from each chapter.
• UPDATED! Scatter diagrams have been improved with the addition of country names to location within the diagram, making it easier for students to see relationships among countries.