"Politics is a gateway to a broader and better understanding of human nature, society and the world" is the inspiration behind Magstadt's UNDERSTANDING POLITICS: IDEAS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ISSUES. The 13th Edition challenges you with its analysis of three fundamental premises: Politics is a pervasive force in modern society; government is too important to be left in the hands of a few; and the right to participate in public life is a precious thing unique to republics. Timely and relevant, it provides in-depth coverage of contemporary political issues and places them in the context of more enduring underlying questions. It focuses on key topics like ideology, citizenship, voting behavior, leadership and foreign policy as well as emerging issues, including the Trump presidency, social media in politics, Brexit, China as partner and rival, and populism and nativism as a reaction to globalism.
1. Introduction: The Study of Politics.
2. The Idea of the Public Good: Ideologies and Isms.
Part I: COMPARATIVE POLITICAL SYSTEMS: MODELS AND THEORIES.
3. Utopias: Model States.
4. Constitutional Democracy: Models of Representation.
5. The Authoritarian Model: Myth and Reality.
6. The Totalitarian Model: A False Utopia.
Part II: ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING DEMOCRACIES.
7. Parliamentary Democracy: Pros and Cons of Perishable Governments.
8. Transition Systems: Yesterday and Today.
9. Problems of Development: Progress and Poverty in a Global Age.
Part III: POLITICS BY CIVIL MEANS: CITIZENS, LEADERS, AND POLICIES.
10. Political Socialization: The Making of a Citizen.
11. Political Participation: The Limits of Democracy.
12. Political Leadership: The Many Faces of Power.
13. Issues in Public Policy: Politics, Principles, Priorities, and Practices.
Part IV: POLITICS BY VIOLENT MEANS: REVOLUTION, WAR, AND TERRORISM.
14. Revolution: In the Name of Justice.
15. War: Politics by Other Means.
16. Terrorism: War, Crimes, or War Crimes?
Part V: POLITICS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT.
17. World Politics: The Struggle for Power.
18. International Law and Organization(s): The Quest for Order.
Afterword.
Endnotes.
Glossary.
Index.
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Thomas M. Magstadt
Thomas Magstadt has chaired political science departments at Augustana College (Sioux Falls) and the University of Nebraska (Kearney) and has taught at the Thunderbird School, the Air War College and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. From 1994 to 1996 he was a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic, and from 2007 to 2010 he lectured on the European Union at the University of Kansas. Dr. Magstadt is the author of NATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS: COMPARATIVE POLITICS IN REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE, Sixth Edition (Wadsworth Publishing, 2011), AN EMPIRE IF YOU CAN KEEP IT: POWER AND PRINCIPLE IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY (CQ Press, 2004) as well as numerous journal articles, policy papers and op-ed pieces. He earned his doctorate at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
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The 13th edition provides extensive coverage of the 2016 presidential election, the Mueller investigation and the role of Russian interference.
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Special attention is given to the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, including the various implications for the U.K., the European Union, the U.S. and the world.
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Insightful coverage of the presidency of Donald Trump explores what it means when the chief executive is breaking long-standing conventions and rules and whether the checks and balances built into the Constitution are in serious jeopardy.
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A thorough assessment is provided on the role of social media and the digital information revolution in politics and the implications of the New Information Age for Western-style democracies. Is privacy a thing of the past? Can the integrity of elections be protected without limiting freedom of expression? Is there such a thing as factual information, or is it all "fake news"? How can we tell the independent press from the purveyors of propaganda?
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The new edition re-examines how the end of the Cold War, the rapid advance of globalism and the multifaceted applications of digital technology have transformed the international system, how the balance of power is shifting as the role and footprint of the United States in the world economy shrinks, and why it matters if a quixotic president’s policies and leadership style lead to trade wars and a retreat into a new isolationism.
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Building on past editions, UNDERSTANDING POLITICS continues its theme emphasizing the importance of political literacy and political education in promoting tolerance and combating a tendency toward extreme partisanship, xenophobia and tribalism in today’s world. The 13th edition amply demonstrates that recent events at home and abroad give new meaning and urgency to this purpose.
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MindTap, a flexible online learning platform that provides students with an immersive learning experience to build and foster comprehension and critical thinking skills, is available with this title for the first time.
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The author focuses on the effective, foundation-building approach to the study of politics and government by identifying and then describing and explaining political phenomena that capture students' attention. The emphasis on the common threads tying major political ideas, issues and institutions together helps students make sense of today's political and economic world.
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Expanded treatment of topics in comparative politics provides a global approach to politics. Insightful boxed features such as "Ideas and Politics", "Landmarks in History" and “Politics and Pop Culture” captivate students with relevant background information to help them conceptualize concepts and place them in context.
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