Comparative Politics: Approaches and Issues Howard J. Wiarda with Esther M. Skelley $75 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.

New book explores comparative politics

Beginning with an introduction to the field of comparative politics, Comparative Politics moves on to explore new, innovative directions in the field. Leading scholar Howard J. Wiarda explores its main approaches, including political culture, dependency theory, corporatism, rational choice and the new institutionalism. Wiarda is Dean Rusk Professor of International Relations and the department head of international affairs at UGA.

The book addresses many hot issues in the field: Can democracy and human rights be transplanted from one culture to another? What works in the effort to develop the poorer nations? Where are we headed with such frontier research issues as comparative environmental policy, women’s rights and gay rights? The book concludes with a stimulating discussion of whether the great system debates of the past (socialism v. capitalism, democracy v. authoritarianism) are now over, and points to some of the next important study and research frontiers. Students, professors and general readers will all find Comparative Politics current, provocative and well written—truly a balanced overview.