Countries and Concepts: Politics, Geography, Culture (7th Edition) [ペーパーバック]

You won't find this book generally in the bookstore, unless you're in the college bookstore, looking on the shelf marked 'Required'. Most likely you would never want to read this book even if it was required. Flipping through the table of contents and the pages, it screams textbook. It even has vocabulary words at the end of each chapter. How much more dry, dull, and boring can you get?

Fr. Kurt, what are you doing reviewing this book? Don't tell us you're actually going to recommend this book to us!? Please don't tell us that!!

Yes, I recommend this book.

Sorry. I have an undergraduate degree in political science, have taught political science, and have a large collection of sample texts that I have been sent in hopes that I would teach some large 400-student introductory politics class and use the book. Most of these books have been traded for more worthwhile books at the local used book stores. This book, however, 'Countries & Concepts: An Introduction to Comparative Politics', by Michael Roskin, is one that I had to purchase. And I've used it in earlier editions. And I shall again in this and later editions.

Despite the textbook-layout (which is in fact fine, if one wants a textbook, and only a minor inconvenience if one does not), this is an insightful, informative, clearly-written text, with a much broader range that goes into deeper detail than most of its type. This is why I use it.

This is a text for those who have already had American politics -- I didn't want to rehash the first-semester material, so I chose a book that did not have an American section or chapter. If I were to choose a more complete volume, I would consider that a minus.

Roskin begins with a chapter on general political concepts. He explores concepts such as left, right, and centre designations (and how these vary, or are similar, in different contexts); historical data that is necessary for understanding, patterns of interaction, political attitudes and ideologies, and finally, my favourite chapters in each section, 'What People Quarrel About'.

Roskin has major sections on Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, China, Brazil, and South Africa. In each section he examines the key institutions of government and society (not always the same things), impact of the past, political attitudes, interactions, and the quarrels. For instance, racism pops up as a quarrel in different countries, but has different dimensions. Nationalism might be strong in one country, and not in another. The attitudes toward wealth and wealth distribution are common quarrels, although the mechanisms and conclusions are different.

The quarrel sections always provide the best material for class discussions, particularly as students bring their own issues up. This is what, in the end, comparative politics is all about.

I applaud this book for breaking out of the European-only model of comparative politics. I appreciate that Africa and South America are included (often overlooked in major political survey texts). While it is still European-dominated (as is the general course of international politics in the world today), it echoes the diversity inherent in the world.

The text is filled with sidebars of interest, and yes, if you care to, you can even do the vocabulary tests at the end. Each chapter has a bibliography for further reading. The book tends to be updated every three-to-four years, so that it is not out of date.

Let me know when to set the date for your examination...

I am using this book for my comparative politics class at Case Western, and unlike most of my textbooks, this text is actually interesting to read.

The book gives excellent coverage on the general ideas without going to deep into detail for most people. Once you read this book you will understand British, French, German, and Japanese politics better than you did before. I came out knowing more than I thought I would.

However, there is no colour in this book at all. The pictures and illustrations are completely black and white, except for some red highlights at the beginning of the chapters. That seems to be my only problem with the book.

The book goes into the political systems of each of the individual countries stated before, but Roskin also goes into the reasons behind the political systems in place. History, geography and cultural effects are discussed in easy to follow ways, both logically and structurally.

This is an excellent reference for any history or political science student, or for anyone looking to learn more. That's why I am recommending this book.

This is the only textbook I have ever come to hate. Reading this author for the required reading text assignments every day nearly drove me batty. He makes sweeping generalities and the text is riddled with absolutes. Did you know that ALL Russians need to steal and cheat to get by? Apparently even the babies do it! Cultures without a xtian/catholic-based religion are called irreligious with vaccuums of belief that only money fills, and yet at the same time "Modern capitalism has a moral base" that is built on people within it trusting each other. Every country has a section or two about the role of christian/catholic-like religion in it even when the text admits that the country really doesn't support or have many that believe in that way--many times it is to point out how that country is given to executing people who try to spread the western religions to them. At the same time, there is no mention in historically christianish/catholic-based countries that have done the same thing, but to other religions. The book totally ignores spirituality, which can be rather different from religion, give something to believe in, and is more than just philosophy. This text about drove me bonkers and I am very disappointed in my school for choosing it. The bias and absolutes (everyone, no one, all, none, always, never, etc) were pretty obvious to me, but I have to admit that part of it is also how subtle they are. They are woven naturally throughout a text that is otherwise intelligent and informative. This makes it all the more disappointing a text to pick. When you are writing a text on other cultures, you just cannot look at them solely through your own lens and be fair about it. Promoting a text like this encourages students to continue the bias, rather than truly attempt to understand the other culture from their own eyes and experiences.

I would suggest editing out ALL absolutes for future editions and sticking the author's opinion, no matter how supported it seems to be into clearly labeled opinion boxes. Comparisons are a nifty way to learn, but not if, in comparing, you give more weight to your own cultural biases.

Note: I have the 10th edition of this text, I can only hope he at least edited out ALL of his absolutes in the 11th.

All hail the morally-based capitalist system, down with the morally bankrupt peoples who only have money to believe in...and don't forget to pick up your very own Bible on the way out! (sarcasm)