Essentials of Comparative Politics

A conceptual framework that is easy for students to apply

Essentials of Comparative Politics provides a clear framework based on the fundamental concepts that political scientists use to compare countries. Beginning with the most basic terms (the state, regimes, nations, political economic systems), O’Neil gives students the tools they need to make meaningful comparisons. The Third Edition is revised and updated with new data and current examples, and a new chapter organization helps students more intuitively compare and understand political systems.

Up-to-date coverage of topics students are interested in

Examples have been thoroughly updated to make the topics as relevant as possible for students. Updates include new discussions of Iraq, Hugo Chávez, and even the Second Life online role-playing game in the context of globalization.

Student friendly pedagogy reinforces the main concepts

No other book on the market has an art program that covers the concepts as thoroughly and clearly. Features include In Focus boxes that summarize important ideas students will want to review and Institutions in Action boxes that describe how institutions work around the world. Figures and tables in every chapter illustrate important points with real-world data, and chapter previews aid study with an outline of the chapter to come.

Innovative emedia resources

Our free and open student website includes video exercises using embedded clips from official news channels on YouTube, such as Al-Jazeera, CBS, and BBC Worldwide. These videos will also appear on an interactive Google Map. Conceptual quizzes and country quizzes on the website allow students to review key ideas from the conceptual framework of the text and key details from the countries discussed in the casebook.

The Third Edition offers a library of digital images of various key places and political figures for instructors. These high-resolution images are optimized for easy integration into PowerPoint presentations.

A complete package offers flexibility to instructors and value to students

Essentials of Comparative Politics, Third Edition, is available with a corresponding casebook of 14 country studies and a reader—the three components can be used individually or in any combination. Essentials of Comparative Politics textbook/casebook package costs $20–30 less than the leading country studies books alone. The package of our textbook, casebook, and reader costs just a few dollars more than most standalone country studies books.