`This groundbreaking text has been expanded to cover trade unions and networks of decision-making, and reviews the progress of globalization in light of the world financial crisis. The result is a thoroughly comprehensive text, which teachers and analysis, as well as students, will benefit from reading.'Ian Budge, University of EssexComparative Politics is an exciting and authoritative introduction to one of the most important fields of political science. International experts explore the methods and theories of comparative politics, as well as the institutions, actors, processes, and policies at the heart of political systems around the world. Alongside discussion of the key themes, students are presented with a wealth of empirical data to demonstrate similarities and differences in practice, and to encourage research. By focusing on industrial and developing countries, together with political bodies and systems above and below the level of the nation state, Comparative Politics provides a fully comprehensive account of the discipline.An extraordinarily ambitious book by an impressive roster of accomplished authors. They cover, in an authoritative way, a range of important topics in comparative politics. There is sufficient material here to please teachers of many different types of course. Michael J. Laver, New York UniversityThis second edition updates and expands the remarkable achievement of this user-friendly textbook. It strikes an unmatched balance between analytics and empirics, methods and theories, structures, institutions, and actors. Simply the best textbook on comparative politics. Stefano Bartolini, European University InstituteA very impressive and up-to-date edited volume which is well conceived, well executed, and written by a respected team of contributors.' Paul Webb, University of Sussex Read Less