Reflecting an extraordinary career, Ventures in Political Science collects Gabriel Almond's most important work on the development of political science and democratic theory.

An absorbing introduction—providing personal and historical context—precedes Almond's masterful "History of Political Science." Equally notable are essays on capitalism and democracy, the    More >

Classification systems and typologies, if properly developed, can help formulate research questions, determine agendas for inquiry, and lead to the development of scientifically testable hypotheses and general theory building. In political science, however, influential classifications and typologies become obsolete faster than in many other disciplines. They are also used highly sel ectively    More >

In the aftermath of violent conflict, how do the economic challenges of statebuilding intersect with the political challenges of peacebuilding? How can the international community help lay the fiscal foundations for a sustainable state and a durable peace? Peace and the Public Purse examines these questions, lifting the curtain that often has separated economic policy from peace    More >

There is increasing consensus among scholars and policy analysts that successful peacebuilding can occur only in the context of capable state institutions. But how can legitimate and sustainable states best be established in the aftermath of civil wars? And what role should international actors play in supporting the vital process?

Addressing these questions, this state-of-the-art    More >

As nationalism increasingly captures our attention through its impact on intercommunal violence and even the stability of states, this fresh look at the phenomenon plumbs an important aspect of its power: how nationalism affects the domestic and foreign-policy behavior of states.

Systematically examining a range of states and societies, the Cottams draw on case studies from Africa, Europe,    More >

With contentious issues of sovereignty and self-determination a focus of current world affairs, this comprehensive analysis is especially timely. The authors explore the conceptual, political, legal, cultural, economic, and strategic aspects of self-determination—encompassing both theory and practice—in the context of the evolving international system. Wide-ranging case studies enrich    More >

For decades, researchers and policymakers have examined the impact of development programs on women—and evidence of sustained gender discrimination has inspired local, national, and international policy reforms. But has the empowerment movement increased women's control of resources? Has it had the desired effect on gender relations traditionally defined by patriarchal ideology and    More >

Few would dispute the importance of donating funds and expertise to conflict-ridden societies—but such aid, however well meant, often fails to have the intended effect. This study critically evaluates international democratization assistance in postconflict societies to discern what has worked, what has not, and how aid programs can be designed to have a more positive    More >

In the transition from war-torn societies to stable multiparty democracies, what is the role of former rebel leaders? Can rebel movements effectively transform themselves from military to political organizations? From Soldiers to Politicians explores when and how militias succeed in reorienting their goals and practices toward legitimate political activities, and how external actors can    More >

In response to scores of requests, this textbook edition of Political Culture and Democracy in Developing Countries has been abridged to convey the core arguments of the book in a format appropriate for classroom use.

The authors explore the complex and reciprocal interactions between a society's dominant beliefs, values, and attitudes about politics and the nature of its    More >

This second edition of the highly regarded Politics in Developing Countries again presents case studies of experiences with democracy in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, along with the editors' synthesis of the factors that facilitate and obstruct the development of democracy around the world. The new edition adds a chapter on South Africa and brings the other nine    More >

With the widespread movement toward democratization that characterized the first post-Cold War decade, why did some nondemocratic regimes undergo a transition toward a democratic political system, but others not? Why have some transitions succeeded completely, but others resulted in only limited political reform? Renske Doorenspleet addresses these questions, providing a systematic theoretical and    More >

Now Available in Paperback!

A Choice Outstanding Academic Book!

Fattah's survey analysis of more    More >

Launching into Cyberspace explores the Internet as an increasingly important variable in the study of comparative politics and international relations.

Focusing on Africa, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, China, and India, Franda examines the extent to which Internet development has (or has not) taken place and the relationship between that development and the    More >

Comparative Politics of the Third World offers just the right blend of theory and substance to introduce students in a meaningful way to the developing— or not developing—world. Avoiding both overgeneralization and the problems of a strictly country-by-country approach, authors Green and Luehrmann consistently link concepts pertaining to history, politics, economics, and    More >

Now available in paperback!

Rejecting theories of economic deprivation and psychological alienation, Mohammed Hafez offers a provocative analysis of the factors that contribute to protracted violence in the Muslim world today.

Hafez combines a sophisticated theoretical approach and detailed case studies to show that the primary source of Islamist insurgencies lies in    More >

Political explanations in comparative foreign-policy research typically center on the assumption that foreign-policy decisionmakers in democratic regimes are far more politically constrained than are their counterparts in authoritarian polities. Disputing this assumption, Hagan draws on case studies of the politics of foreign policy in a variety of non-U.S. settings to develop direct measures of    More >

Experts from around the globe come together in this important peer-reviewed forum to present compelling social science research on the entire East Asia region. Topics include democratic governance, military security, political culture, economic cooperation, human rights, and environmental concerns. Thought-provoking book reviews enhance each issue.

Want more information information on    More >

With more than 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS—and more than 25 million dead from related diseases since the early 1980s—the need to understand the causes and impact of the pandemic is manifest. In response, The Global Politics of AIDS explores power and politics at multiple levels, ranging from individual behavior to corporate boardrooms to international institutions and    More >

Despite legal affirmations of women's rights to abortion, actual access to the procedure in North America is increasingly curtailed. Melissa Haussman analyzes this disturbing disparity between official policies and daily realities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Haussman examines the successes of U.S. antichoice groupsgroups that have extended their reach to    More >

Have the changes of the past decade made this an easier or a more difficult world for small states as they pursue their foreign policy goals? To understand the foreign policies of small states, are new explanatory factors needed? Does the concept of the “small state” still have utility at all? Small States in World Politics addresses these questions, deftly analyzing the impact of new    More >

Incorporated into the discourse of academics, policymakers, and grassroots activists, of multilateral development agencies and local NGOs alike, "civil society" has become a topic of widespread discussion. But is there in fact any common understanding of the term? How useful is it when applied to the    More >

How is it that, in a time of unprecedented global opulence and market activity, billions of dollars flow through the developing world without altering its reality of poverty and scarcity? Jenny Kehl explores the crucial relationship between foreign direct investment and domestic development, focusing on the wide variation in the capacity of governments to negotiate FDI to the advantage of their    More >

On the Humanitarian Times list of the Top Ten Books of 1998!

With the resolution of intrastate conflicts in Africa, Central America, and Southeast Asia, and with new hope for the peaceful settlement of many still-existing conflicts, attention is turning to the issue of “free and fair” elections. This book examines the nature of postconflict    More >

Krishna Kumar surveys the nature and significance of international aid designed to build and strengthen independent news media in support of democratization and development.

Providing the first comprehensive coverage of media assistance programs, Kumar discusses the evolution, focus, and overall impact of a range of intervention strategies. He also presents seven in-depth case studies based on    More >

Have parties, and party systems, come back to life in the twenty-first century? Are they capable of playing their roles in ways that will foster rather than betray the public interest? These are among the questions explored in When Parties Prosper, a richly comparative, up-to-date, and accessible study of political parties in power in Europe, Asia, and the    More >

Systematic, coherent, and user friendly, this decidedly nontraditional introduction to comparative politics is designed to teach students how to think comparatively and theoretically about the world they live in.

The core of the book is organized around a set of critical questions why are poor countries poor? why is East Asia rich? what makes a democracy? what makes a    More >

In this classic work, noted political sociologist Juan Linz provides an unparalleled study of the nature of nondemocratic regimes.

Linz's seminal analysis develops the fundamental distinction between totalitarian and authoritarian systems. It also presents a pathbreaking discussion of the personalistic, lawless, nonideological type of authoritarian rule that he calls (following Weber) the    More >

With the increasing use of elections as a tool for peacebuilding after civil war, the question of why some postconflict elections succeed and others fail is a crucial one. Tackling this question, Terrence Lyons finds the answer in the internal political dynamics that occur between the cease-fire and the voting.

Lyons shows that the promise of elections can provide the incentive    More >

This imaginative and ambitious book takes issue convincingly with common conceptions about the relationship—or lack of relationships—among race, nationalism, and religion.

Manzo sets the modern nation-state in historical, global, and philosophical context to support three key themes. First, she argues that the theoretical literature on nations and nationalism is limited by a    More >

Fully revised to reflect the realities of the post–September 11 world, this acclaimed curricular reference provides a comprehensive review of the field of peace, justice, and security studies. Seven introductory essays systematically cover the state of the discipline today, surveying current intellectual and pedagogical themes. These are followed by seventy classroom-tested syllabuses    More >

Abrupt democratization in Third World countries does not always result in enhanced human rights. Mahmood Monshipouri argues that human rights in fledgling democracies are most likely to be improved if the transition from authoritarianism is preceded by a process of economic liberalization, which works as a prelude to a gradual expansion of civil society.

Monshipouri bridges the gaps    More >

This timely assessment of both the progress toward democratic governance globally and the significant challenges that democracies face is the outcome of a seminar organized by the Community of Democracies. The Community is a group of more than a hundred countries devoted to the spread and consolidation of democracy around the world.

Even amid the apparent post–Cold War consensus, the benefits and drawbacks of economic and political liberalization remain controversial. At the same time, explanations for the recent surge in these processes, and for the forms they have taken, remain fragmentary. Likewise, the linkages between the two remain under-researched—despite many sweeping assertions of a positive    More >

Thoroughly updating his widely acclaimed book on third world democracy, Pinkney incorporates provocative explorations of the influences of external forces, the roles of the state and civil society, and the varying trajectories of democratic consolidation (and decay).

The dramatic reconfigurations of political authority taking place in Africa—what many term "warlordism" or "state failure"—call for an exploration of the origins of these changes, the likelihood of their durability, and their implications for the continent's regional system of states.

Reno argues that the end of the Cold War as a particular configuration of the    More >

Determining the foundations and contradictory implications of the liberalization, democratization, and sociopolitical restructuring occurring today on an almost global scale constitutes a major challenge for contemporary social science. The central objective of this book is to analyze the impact, limits, and evolution of various forms of clientelism and patronage in the historical matrix of    More >

Often regarded as a phenomenon of earlier times and backward places, vote buying has made an impressive comeback in recent decades—primarily as a by-product of democratization. Elections for Sale offers the first comprehensive analysis of this widespread but ill-understood practice.

The authors systematically explore a series of key questions: What exactly is vote    More >

New democracies all over the world are finding themselves haunted by the old demons of clientelism, corruption, arbitrariness, and the abuse of power—leading to a growing awareness that, in addition to elections, democracy requires checks and balances. Democratic governments must be accountable to the electorate; but they must also be subject to restraint and oversight by other public    More >

Today, electoral authoritarianism represents the most common form of political regime in the developing world and the one we know least about. Filling in the lacuna, this new book presents cutting-edge research on the internal dynamics of electoral authoritarian regimes.

Each concise, jargon-free chapter addresses a specific empirical puzzle on the basis of careful    More >

Scholars and development practitioners agree that developing countries urgently need cohesive administrative reforms to consolidate new market economies, promote sustainable development, and improve social welfare. Reinventing Leviathan provides extensive comparative research on the political processes that facilitate or block efforts designed to improve administrative    More >

Although China denies that it harbors ambitions to become a superpower, its leadership has made clear its intention that the country be a major player in the global arena. Against this backdrop,  Ian Taylor explores the nature and implications of China’s burgeoning role in Africa.

Taylor argues that Beijing is using Africa not    More >

This controversial book examines the challenges that social inequities present to democratic governance.

The authors argue that issues of poverty and inequality—far from diminishing—are becoming even more important in the present global environment. They consider the effects of globalization on the distribution of income and wealth within state borders, the impact of inequality on    More >

Getting Globalization Right explores political and economic changes in seven new democracies that have in common both a movement toward greater integration with the world economy and the challenges posed by persistent or even increasing domestic economic inequalities.

The authors argue that, without effective national policies to dampen the effects of globalization, the    More >

This gendered analysis of Third World politics examines both "high politics" and political activity at the grassroots level, as well as the impact of state policy on differing groups of women.

Waylen first discusses the major theoretical questions involved in the study of gender in Third World politics. She then discusses the topic in the context of colonialism, revolution,    More >

As national governments struggle to cope with the complex threat of mass-casualty terrorist attacks, there is an ongoing debate about the best approaches to counterterrorism policy. The authors of How States Fight Terrorism explore the dynamics of counterterrorism policy development in Europe and North America.

A series of case studies examine security concerns,    More >