European Politics surveys the history, institutions, and issues that are essential for understanding contemporary European politics. Exploring a central question—"what is Europe?"—this text's thematic approach helps students compare politics in individual countries and see the political big picture in the region. European Politics examines not only countries already in the European Union but also those eligible to join to give students the most comprehensive picture of Europe's evolution in a globalized world. Key changes for the new edition: Fully revised and updated to include coverage of recent elections, public opinion data and key topics such as refugees, Russia and Ukraine, Syria, more on the economic crisis, and Brexit; Expanded and revised opening chapter explaining Europeanization, multi-level governance, and the fissures in Europe; Greater and updated coverage of theory, multi-culturalism, and the EU. This timely, in-depth text will be essential reading for anyone interested in European politics.

This book arises out of a specially commissioned issue of West European Politics marking the journal's 30th anniversary. It examines the profound changes in the European political landscape over the last three decades, including the fall of Communism; progressive European integration; territorial restructuring; public sector reforms at European, national, regional and local levels; changes in democratic participation, protest, elections, political communication, political parties and party competition; and challenges to the welfare state. The book also discusses how political science has responded to these changes in terms of its substantive focus, concepts, methods and theories. Many of the 17 contributions included identify important challenges for the future, including those stemming from EU integration, the reduced electoral accountability of politicians, the problematic legitimation of party government and the sharpening of the edges of the state. Contributors include K. A. Anderson, F. C. Castles, C. Crouch, M. Egeberg. M. Ferrera, H. Goetz, L. Hooghe, E. M. Immergut, R. F. Inglehart, M. Keating, H.-D. Klingemann H. Kriesi, M. Lodge, J. Lovenduski, P. Mair, G. Marks, Y. Mény, L. Morlino, H. Obinger, V. A. Schmidt, P. C. Schmitter, and G. Smith. This book was published as a special issue of West European Politics.

This short and simple introduction to European politics, which includes Western and Eastern Europe as well as Russia, demonstrates how European nations have attempted to cope with division within Europe and in international politics. Highlighting differences with U.S. politics, Slomp examines the European system from various perspectives, including geography, religion, economics, and social composition. Two separate chapters discuss relations within the European Union as well as its interaction with nations outside the group. Tables and figures provide a wealth of information on the location of minorities, the ideological spectrum, and social policies. Directed toward both an American and a European readership, this study includes information about the importance of ethnicity and religion, the impact of new migration waves, and the position of the labor movement. It covers the role of political parties, the Americanization of election campaigns, and the prevalence of coalition governments. A chapter on European style civil society focuses on the influence of pressure groups, the popularity of formal business/trade union/government contracts, the mass media, local politics, and federal political systems. Every chapter deals with the social transformation of the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. A final section contains a brief description of all the nations by groupings.

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

This comprehensive textbook is the first to go beyond a West European perspective and provide a clear overview of the whole of European politics. Jan-Erik Lane and Svante Ersson address the similarities of key political features among states in Western, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Europe and look forward to political developments at the turn of the century. Traditionally, books have polarized Europe by focusing on points of divergence. European Politics provides a thoroughgoing analysis of several converging themes, including political culture, the nature of the state, party systems, and the formation of government and public policies. With this approach to economic, social and political aspects of politi

Revised throughout, the second edition of this comprehensive and highly respected textbook continues to provide a thorough introduction to European and European Union politics. Pairing a genuinely comparative approach with in-depth analysis of the national, supranational, local and regional political systems of large and small countries across Europe, including Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, this accessible book covers history, theory, institutions, parties and party systems, and interest groups, among others. Key topics and features of this book: Examines the European Union multilevel governance system and uses a regional cluster approach to highlight differences across Europe. Contextualises European politics in a theoretical framework explaining the major political, social and economic transformations taking place in the information age. A new chapter on the comparative political systems and cultures of wider Europe, particularly Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus and Turkey. Engages with the latest challenges and crises facing Europe, including new streamlined chapters on parties, elections, politics and policy-making of the European Union. Extended coverage of hot topics such as finance and the Eurocrisis, immigration, populism and xenophobia. Uses a wide range of pedagogical features including further readings and revision questions. Includes a fully updated companion website containing rich reference data, chapter summaries and weblinks. Richly illustrated throughout, this work is an indispensable resource for all students and scholars of European politics.

Specially written for an American audience, this accessible encyclopedic survey covers politics in every individual European nation and in the European Union. The two-volume Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics is the first encyclopedic survey of politics in Europe especially written for a wide American public, including high school students. The first volume places national developments and institutions in a Europe-wide context and includes tables comparing European politics with U.S. politics. The second volume discusses the individual European nations by regional group, facilitating comparison of a country with neighboring nations. All European countries are covered, including Turkey, Russia, and the Caucasian republics of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Each country profile includes an introduction to the land, the people, the economy, and the culture, as well as a timeline of historic highlights. The nation's political system is discussed, as are public policies and the major political parties. Each entry also provides tables listing heads of state, the composition of the legislative body, and the political leaders.

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.

The book provides an in-depth analysis of Eurosceptics’ strategies in the European Parliament. It explores the paradoxical situation of Eurosceptic MEPs: particularly successful during EP elections, how then, once elected, do they operate in a political system they oppose? This book analyses how Eurosceptic MEPs conceive and carry out their mandate within the institution. On the basis of more than 100 interviews, it proposes a typology of four strategies developed by these actors. It also explains the diversity of Eurosceptics’ strategies, showing the relevance of the interaction between the institutional context and the individuals’ preferences. With the growing success of Eurosceptic parties and the challenges they pose to the future of integration, this study also reflects on the consequences of their presence for the EP and for the legitimacy of the EU. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of European politics, European integration, comparative politics, legislative studies and political parties.