European Politics: A Comparative Introduction - Softcover

Tim Bale

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1403918716 ISBN 13: 9781403918710

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005

Synopsis

This is a major new thematically organized introductory text on European Politics covering West, Central and Eastern Europe in an integrated way. Illustrated throughout with a wide range of boxes, figures and tables, the book uses Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland as examples for systematic comparison throughout, adding consideration of a range of other countries as particularly relevant in each chapter to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to governance and politics across the whole continent.

About this title

About the Author

Tim Bale is Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Sussex.

Review

"This is not only the book I would like to use, it is also the book I would like to have written. It is certainly one that I will recommend to students as an introduction. Hats off to Bale for undertaking such an ambitious task."--Erik Jones, Johns Hopkins University

"Engaging and thought-provoking, and covering institutions and processes at both national and EU levels, this is an excellent comparative and continent-wide introduction to politics in the new Europe."--John McCormick, Indiana University, Indianapolis
"...As with most good textbooks, it is based on years of teaching the subject and understanding what students want. Though written at a level comprehensible to undergraduate students, it manages to convey the sense of key concepts such as Europeanisation and multi level governance, and theoretical frameworks such as rational choice. It has the merit of capturing political dynamics within and beyond the “EU 25”. Lucid in its analysis and extensive in its coverage, it addresses key issues of comparative politics, such as converging trends, nationally patterned variations, and comparisons across space and time. An intelligent use of concepts is interwoven with examples drawn from national cases. Bale offers a broader overview than traditional texts, with chapters on territorial politics, governance, the media, political economy, and migrants and migration, as well as the traditional staple of political parties, elections and pressure politics, governments and parliaments. Combining a clear thematic focus with national examples is a strength. Few comparative politics textbooks manage to do so, and Bale’s books likely to become a leading text in comparative European politics for years to come." --The Times Higher.

Edition details

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1403918716
• ISBN 13: 9781403918710
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288