Introduction to Comparative Politics: Concepts and Processes (New Horizons in Comparative Politics)

This brief, lively, and well-written text sparks students' interest by focusing on current trends, issues, and controversies in the field. Through this focus, Wiarda gives students an overview of the field, traces its history and development, and surveys newer approaches in a sequential and systematic fashion.

Howard J. Wiarda is Professor of Political Science and the Leonard J. Horowitz Professor of Iberian and Latin American Politics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University. A longtime associate of the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, Professor Wiarda was also editor of the political science journal Polity and director of Latin American studies centers in Amherst and Washington. Professor Wiarda has directed international affairs programs in several Washington think tanks, and was lead consultant to the National Bipartisan (Kissinger) Commission on Central America. He served by nomination of the President of the United States on several White House task forces and advisory panels, and has been a consultant to various foreign policy-making agencies of the U.S. government. Professor Wiarda is best known for his writing and edited volumes on Latin America, Europe, and comparative and foreign policy studies, including NEW DIRECTIONS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS, AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, U.S. FOREIGN AND STRATEGIC POLICY IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA, CORPORATISM AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS, POLITICS IN IBERIA: THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, LATIN AMERICA POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT, and FOREIGN POLICY WITHOUT ILLUSION: HOW FOREIGN POLICY WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.