European Politics: An Introduction

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.

Dissatisfied with the choice between textbooks on European politics arranged by country and those arranged by theme, Bale (politics, U. of Sussex) has produced one intended to capture both commonality and diversity, arranged by theme. He says the treatment should be accessible to general readers, but he particularly had in mind undergraduate students beginning the study of politics. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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