Introduction. What is comparative politics? ; A guiding concept : political institutions ; A guiding ideal : reconciling freedom and equality ; Institutions in action: Can we make a science of politics? ; In sum : looking ahead and thinking carefully -- States. Defining the state ; The origins of political organization ; The rise of the modern state ; Comparing state power ; Institutions in action: Why has Pakistan slid toward state failure? ; In sum : studying states -- Nations and society. Ethnic identity ; National identity ; Citizenship and patriotism ; Ethnic identity, national identity, and citizenship : origins and persistence ; Political attitudes and political ideology ; Institutions in action: How has India held together? ; Religion, fundamentalism, and the crisis of ideology ; Political culture ; In sum : society and politics -- Political economy. The components of political economy ; Political-economic systems ; Political-economic systems and the state : comparing outcomes ; The rise and fall of liberalism? ; In sum : a new economic era? ; Institutions in action: Why have poverty and inequality declined in Latin America? -- Democratic regimes. Defining democracy ; Origins of democracy ; Contemporary democratization ; Institutions of the democratic state ; Models of democracy : parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential systems ; Parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential systems : benefits and drawbacks ; Political parties ; Electoral systems ; Referendum and initiative ; Civil rights and civil liberties ; In sum : future challenges to democracy ; Institutions in action: What explains democratization in Asia? -- Nondemocratic regimes. Defining nondemocratic rule ; Totalitarianism and nondemocratic rule ; Origins and sources of nondemocratic rule ; Nondemocratic regimes and political control ; Models of nondemocratic rule ; Institutions in action: What explains the different paths of Zimbabwe and South Africa? ; In sum : retreat or retrenchment for nondemocratic regimes? --
Political violence. What is political violence? ; Why political violence? ; Comparing explanations of political violence ; Forms of political violence ; Institutions in action: Why did the "Arab Spring" of 2011 occur? ; Terrorism and revolution : means and ends ; Political violence in context : faith, terrorism, and revolution ; Countering political violence ; In sum : meeting the challenge of political violence
Developed democracies. Defining developed democracy ; Freedom and equality in developed democracies ; Developed democracies today ; Political institutions : sovereignty transformed? ; Institutions in action: What explains the Greek economic crisis? ; Societal institutions : new identities in formation? ; Economic institutions : a new market? ; In sum : the developed democracies in transition
Communism and postcommunism. Communism, equality, and the nature of human relations ; Revolution and the "Triumph" of communism ; Putting communism into practice ; Communist political economy ; Societal institutions under communism ; The collapse of communism ; The transformation of political institutions ; The transformation of economic institutions ; The transformation of societal institutions ; In sum : the legacy of communism ; Institutions in action: Why did reform fail in the Soviet Union but succeed in China?
Developing countries. Freedom and equality in the developing world ; Imperialism and colonialism ; Institutions of imperialism ; The challenges of post-imperialism ; Puzzles and prospects for democracy and development ; Institutions in action: Why did Asia industrialize faster than Latin America? ; In sum : the challenges of development
Globalization and the future of comparative politics. What Is globalization? ; Institutions and globalization ; Political globalization ; Economic globalization ; Societal globalization ; Taking stock of globalization ; Institutions in action: Did globalization cause the recent economic recession? ; In sum : the future of freedom and equality