European Politics Today

In this new edition, Patricia Hogwood and Geoffrey Roberts offer a comprehensive introduction to the political systems and processes of Western Europe. The book begins with an overview of the features and events that have shaped the political landscape of Europe up to the end of the 20th century. The authors go on to discuss liberal democracy, historical sources of conflict between countries, electoral systems, political parties and interest groups, governments and parliaments. The final section looks at federalism and EU decision-making and concludes with a consideration of how liberal democracies in western Europe have attempted to provide stable government while remaining responsive to changes in society. This book has been fully updated to take account of the French, British and Italian general elections that have occurred in recent years, as well as the momentous changes that have taken place in global politics as a result 9/11, and the preparations for EU enlargement. The chapters on the European Union and democracy in Western Europe have also been substantially revised to take account of globalization and recent political corruption issues.

This engaging book, a true twenty-first century enterprise, is the only text that offers both country case studies and discussion of the European Union in one sustained volume. Now thoroughly revised for 2004, it is the first European politics text to offer current analysis on the invasion of Iraq, NATO and European security, U.S.-European relations, and enlargement issues. All chapters from the first edition have been comprehensively updated, and completely new chapters have been added on Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Poland, monetary union, security, and migration. With its strong international emphasis and focus on Europe before and after Iraq, professors will be able to use this text to lead students toward a coherent view of intra-European conflicts, Europe and the United States, and Europe's international responsibilities. A new website devoted exclusively to the book, with regularly updated statistics, analysis, and links for each chapter, will provide a rich resource for students seeking additional information and researching classroom assignments.

This is the first truly pan-European survey of contemporary European politics, that includes nations from both Western and Eastern Europe as well as a separate chapter on the European Union. Written by foremost scholars in the field, the book examines questions about the foundations and processes of democratic government, and then compares the experiences of seven nations in Western and Eastern Europe. This framework provides a basis for comparing political values, institutions and processes across Europe.

This critically acclaimed, best-selling text offers a comprehensive introduction to the post-World War II political systems of Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and the European Union. The concept of European politics in transition is presented through four key themes: the role of each country in economic management; the interaction of countries within the international order; challenges facing European democracies; and the political impact of social diversity.

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. There is an urgent need for a book of this nature which provides students with all the essential information required and a full definition of terms. A perfect companion to European politics today, written by the same authors, this book presents past events, prominent personalities, important dates, organisations and electoral information in an accessible, easy-to-read format. The book is split into five sections for ease of use: a dictionary of significant political events, a chronology of major events in Europe since 1945, a biographical dictionary, a dictionary of political organisations and electoral data. In addition to being a comprehensive reference tool, this book is intended to provide a sound historical background to the development of Western European politics.

A fully revised fourth edition of a popular introduction to the comparative politics of Europe, written by a highly respected authority on the subject. This lively and thematically organised text provides an accessible guide to the institutions and the issues that matter in a continent where the boundaries between East and West, and between domestic and European affairs are increasingly breaking down. Covering a wide array of countries it is a concise yet comprehensive overview of one of the world's most important and fascinating regions. Written in an approachable style and packed with up-to-date, real-world examples and information, this is the ideal place for students to begin and to deepen their understanding of Europe's politics. It can be adapted as a standalone text on modules on Comparative European Politics and will be of use as a key reading on undergraduate courses on Comparative Politics more broadly, as well as European Union Politics. New to this Edition: - Updated throughout to provide coverage of developments such as the Eurozone crisis, the growth of left and right-wing populism, the rise of nationalism and Europe's on-going immigration challenge - Includes a short concluding chapter, rounding up and considering the future of the book's core themes of Europeanization and multilevel governance - Additional country profiles on Croatia and Greece to ensure representative treatment of the key countries in Europe today

Examining such issues as the welfare state, the politics of unemployment and government-industry relations, this work looks at the developments in western European politics up to and during the 1980s.