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Don t let an introduction to research methods be your studentsleast favorite (and most intimidating) political science course. Relevant, timely, insightful, comprehensive, and always mindful of their student audience, the authors have revamped their popular text so that the sixth edition is friendlier and more intuitive than ever the perfect gateway to understanding not just thehowbut also thewhybehind research into politics.

Covering the discipline s major methods, the authors lead students step-by-step through the logic of research design.Building blockchapters on hypothesis formation and testing, variables, and measurement are right up front; the introduction to research design, sampling, and literature reviews now come with more explanation as to why a researcher would pursue different kinds of methods; the stats chapters begin with a common-sense primer that walks students through foundational ideas and practices. Throughout the text, updated examples of contemporary research problems keep readers engaged.

Each chapter has bolded key terms that are also listed in a glossary at the end of each chapter and the end of the text.Helpful hintsfeature boxes give students nuts-and-bolts reminders they can refer to when they conduct their own research or assess the work of others.

NEW TO THIS EDITION

• New examples of political science research in Chapter 1, including a case on judicial decision making and current research into public opinion on the war in Iraq.
• Expanded discussion of theory in Chapter 2, showing how competing paradigms can be applied to the same topic of study.
• Substantially updated discussion of survey research including coverage of Internet polling and a fuller description of interviewing.
• Computational formulas and calculations are now featured inHow It s Doneboxes allowing students to separate lengthy calculations from substantive discussion of the meaning or interpretation of statistical results.
• Greater coverage of newer developments in applied statistics, including exploratory data analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics for counts and functions of counts. In general, less emphasis on computation, and more on interpretation.
• Reorganized statistics chapters for better comprehension with regression analysis and logistic regression in their own chapters.
• A new overview of statistical analysis, including discussion of data preparation, description, modeling, inference, interpretation, and the communication of results.

Customer Reviews (5)

Great for Non-Math Brains
If math isn't your strong suit, and you're learning Research Methods/Statistics for Social Science/PoliSci/Public Administration, THIS book makes it about as easy as possible to understand what you're doing and why you're doing it. It does a good job of the "why" in addition to the "how".I am glad my professor chose this book for our MPA program's lower-level Research Methods class. An easy read, even if you have to read it twice to understand mathematical operations (as many of us social science folk do.) :-)

good condition and fast delivery
the book was in excellent condition ans had few marks and minor cover damage. i would definitely order from this seller again.

Good intro to methods
We used this book in my graduate research methods class. Many of the articles are well written and provide a good overview. It is a dry read though

Horribly written and full of errors
I am teaching out of this book and the accompanying workbook for the first time, and I cannot express how terrible they are. The text is extremely overwritten (10 pages for something that could be expressed in one page), the statistics section is not clear at all, the workbook exercises are either too basic or overly complicated, and the text and the workbook answer key are riddled with errors. As a result of this last issue, not only do I need to do the usual work of crafting and giving lectures, I also have to comb the book for errors so that I can correct them for my students and redo all of the exercises so that I have an error-free answer key. I will never use these books again.

Good information buried in fluff
This author needs to take two classes at whichever university she teaches: (1) instructional design and (2) writing concisely. This book has quite a lot of good information, but it is all buried within convoluted fluff.

There are many other books on research methodology that (a) do a better job of explaining, (b) include more comprehensive rules for research, and (c) don't take up so much of your valuable time with fluff. I recommend you look at those other books -- especially if you are a professor who is choosing a book for your students. ... Read more

Product Description

Balancing practical and theoretical knowledge, Political Science is a comprehensive and jargon-free introduction to the field’s basic concepts and themes. This bestselling brief text uses diverse real-world examples to show students the value of avoiding simplifications in politics, the relevance of government, and the importance of participation. Written from Mike Roskin’s unique and engaging point-of-view, Political Science remains the best at providing the clear explanations, practical applications, and current examples that will welcome students to a vital field of study.

Customer Reviews (10)

Neo-Con Indoctrination
I got this book for a college class.
I am really angry that I paid for this and that I am going to a school that requires this piece of trash for a class.

I read the introduction which explains that as a Political Scientist we must deal in fact without being angered by the facts. Ok I'm fine with that, sounds like collegiate thinking to me, however on the same page under the title
Regimes it states:" Totalitarianism is a disease of the twentieth century"

I decided to do a few spot checks and just randomly pick a page and read it, Boy oh Boy what a book!

page 113 states as a fact "Nice guys don't rule countries like Iraq".

It just gets better and better. I am sure there is stuff in this book like the descriptions of the political parties mentioned by the previous reviewer as well though I have not yet gotten to those parts.

This book says not to get angry at the facts yet presents opinions as if they are facts.

I'll give my opinion: If these are the political advisers our "leaders" follow, it should come as no surprise that the business of politics is so unpleasant. My advise, Do not take a class that uses this as the text book, get your money back from the school and take a different course.

Good overall introduction book to political science
I really enjoyed reading this book where it appears to cover the many important subjects within political science. I give this book a 4 because the author focuses mainly on Western politics (primarily on the U.S.) where I would've enjoyed a greater coverage on more Eastern theorists. This is just my opinion of course where it certainly is a introduction book by not delving too specific into any one subject and instead covers a breadth of issues. Since I am new to this field, I found the further readings section at the end of the chapter helpful where I recently purchased a book on political theory because of it. Any one who is curious about the field should certainly start with a book like this.

P.S. The author's humor at times was a bit much but I suppose everyone has their own style of writing and communicating.

Amazon Order Review - Political Science book
The value was unbelievable !I bought this book for a class I am taking at Northeastern University. The bookstore had it for $110.00 - purchased it thru Amazon for just a few dollars AMAZING !!! I will shop no where else - only Amazon !!The book was in good condition.

A Must Read
This was a great book that I would recommend for anyone pursuing a professional career and it doesn't matter in what field of work.There is politics in everything!!

Political Science 10th edition
Had to have this book for class. I am grateful for the opportunity to get my books through Amazon, this has been an immense help with cutting expenses while going to college. The shipper got the book to me in record time and I am pleased. ... Read more

Product Description
"Stephen Van Evera's Guide to Methods makes an important contribution toward improving the use of case studies for theory development and testing in the social sciences. His trenchant and concise views on issues ranging from epistemology to specific research techniques manage to convey not only the methods but the ethos of research. This book is essential reading for social science students at all levels who aspire to conduct rigorous research."--Alexander L. George, Stanford University, and Andrew Bennett, Georgetown University

"Van Evera has a keen awareness of the questions that arise in every phase of the political science research project--from initial conception to final presentation. Although others may not agree with all of his specific advice, all will appreciate his user-friendly introduction to what is sometimes seen as anabstract and difficult topic."--Timothy J. McKeown, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

For the last few years, Stephen Van Evera has greeted new graduate students at MIT with a commonsense introduction to qualitative methods in the social sciences. His helpful hints, always warmly received, grew from a handful of memos to an underground classic primer. That primer has now evolved into a book of how-to information about graduate study, which is essential reading for graduate students and undergraduates in political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, and history--and for their advisers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Zach
Only an undergraduate student so I'm probably not the best person to review methadology.In the first section, Van Evera gives a good general overview of the basics.The most thorough section is on case studies.This is very helpful as case studies are often ignored by most, though, as the author notes, can be very helpful especially for IR.The third section also discusses in some depth what a dissertation should look like.This is helpful for someone new to the field and (I assume) for someone undertaking this.Just to note, Van Evera is an IR scholar and a lot of his examples and such are taken from the IR field.I enjoyed this, as that's my area of study, but if your not you might find this annoying.

Not a guide to methods
This book is not a guide to methods, but a guide to how to write an under-grad paper. It is nothing like Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias, which IS a real guide to methods. If you already know what is a theory (e.g. as opposed to a non-causal statement) and how to write a paper reasonably well (i.e. without making silly mistakes of omission or commissin) then you do not need this book. If you do not, you might usefully use this book - BUT DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH A GUIDE TO METHODS.

Practical guide to research/writing (and the arrows work)
Van Evera's book is simple, to be sure, but not simplistic; a prior reviewer's gibes at the notion of flow-charting a theory, with arrows, are a bit off the mark.As the reviewer notes, a theory designates a causal relationship.If so -- no matter what its other "good" points (parsimony, explanatory reach, etc) -- you can draw that causal relationship between the various independent variables and the dependent variable they help to explain.You can even draw it with arrows.

In general this book is recommended for 1st or 2nd year political science graduate students, and useful for advanced undergraduates (who will only care about the 1st 100 pages or so).It is clear and eminently practical.Other reviewers are right to imply there is little here in the way of philosophy of science in the broadest sense.But that merely makes this book a complement, not a substitute, to more esoteric explorations of the topic.

Got Arrow Diagram?
In this book Mr. Van Evera introduces the reader to the gospel of arrow diagraming, in which all political science theories must be drawn as letters, representing variables, with arrows (representing causality) connecting them.Thus, to quote Van Evera, "a theory that cannot be arrow-diagrammed is not a theory and needs reframing to become a theory."Thus, by his measure, much of the poli sci "theories" are not theories at all.So what are GOOD theories, for van Evera, besides those that are easily arrow-diagramed?

Theories are general statements that describe and explain the causes or effects of classes of phenomena.They are composed of causal laws or hypotheses, explanations, and antecedent conditions.Explanations are also composed of causal laws or hypotheses, which are in turn composed of dependent and independent variables.A good theory has 7 characteristics: it has large explanatory power (importance, explanatory range, applicability), and is parsimonious, satisfying, clearly framed, falsifiable, explains important phenomena, and has "prescriptive richness."

In short, the book might teach newbies a thing or two about methodological rigor and research design, but is certainly no model of sophistication.In fact, the book is a perfect example of why American political "science" is sometimes mocked by the rest of the academic world. ... Read more

Product Description

Understanding the Political World offers a comparative perspective on how politics works at the global, national, group, and individual level.

Focusing on how fundamental concepts in political science relate to real political events, this bestselling text surveys political behavior, systems, and processes throughout the world and asks students to evaluate and apply this knowledge. Through an engaging writing style, numerous examples, and the instructive use of cartoons and photographs, Understanding the Political World encourages students to think like political scientists and to critically examine new and enduring political realities and challenges.

Customer Reviews (8)

Happy Customer
The book came in great condition, just as the seller claimed and I received it on time. Very satisfied.

Understanding the political world
i think this book is awesome. I love the study cases/debates in it. I used it for my university course.
This is such a great book. i do recommend it.

Great Intro to Political Science
This is a great book for anybody interested in an unbiased, fact-based introduction to the field of politics. Danziger does a particularly good job at highlighting the controversial issues that pervade modern politics (welfare, interventionism, etc.) without attempting to steer the opinion of the reader in either direction.

excellent introduction
This is a really well written book that does a great job of explaining how political scientists try to make sense out of politics. It is full of interesting stories and examples, offers understandable explanations of major concepts, and it connects the reader to many of the current events in the world.

Significant Undisclosed Damage
There was significant water damage to the book, which was not listed on the sellers entry.Unfortunately for me, my class was starting and I did not have the time to send it back for a refund and order another book from someone else. ... Read more

Product Description
Use award-winning software to analyze and critically evaluate real data with the seventh edition of RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE: AN INTRODUCTION USING MICROCASE? EXPLORIT. This workbook includes a Windows version of MicroCase ExplorIt, a user-friendly program that makes it easy to manipulate and learn from actual data without getting bogged down in complicated statistical software. Over two dozen research-quality data files are included in this package, along with 14 exercise worksheets (one per chapter) that let you see the real impact of the concepts you study. You're then walked through the entire research process, giving you hands-on experience in research methods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not very clear on the step by step instuctions.
Trying to follow this book in the step by step instructions is like trying to follow a kid hyped up on sugar. It is a good book for reading but when it comes to the step by step instructions for creating files it is just really hard to understand. It seems like the author has ADD and just goes on a tangent talking about "TAB this and Enter that". So it is a good book to read and learn but the for computer step by step teaching guide it is just bad. You don't need to write a long paragraph on how to type YES and NO in a box.

A top notch introduction to social science research methods
I can't improve on Dr. Charlie Leonard's review so let me simply ratify his well chosen words.Le Roy and Corbett put the student in the driver's seat with powerful but easy-to-use software, an excellent assortment of data sets, and for the most part well crafted assignments that nicely complement the research design topics discussed in their textbook.

Understanding the "Science" in Political Science
Microcase's workbook explains, in simple terms, how political scientists use statistics and the scientific method to explain political and social phenomena. The workbook in itself is a terrific accomplishment. Thehands-on exercises, however, are what really bring the concepts home to thereader/student. Using real social and political data, Microcase leads theuser through real statistical explorations. It's a great tool for teaching,makes a good independent-study course, and would be an excellent way tolearn a little about the "science" in poli sci on one's own. ... Read more

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Product Description
This comprehensive, practical writer's manual is designed to help readers accomplish two goals: 1) improve their writing skills and strategies and 2) learn political science at the same time. The manual considers the different types of papers common to political science at all levels, at the introductory level, and at the advanced level–exploring the purposes and characteristics of each paper, the steps for writing a successful paper, and typical formats. The volume provides a handbook of style for political science, guide to distance learning and the Internet and writing assignments for all levels. For those interested in improving the political science writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Political Science Student Writer's Manual
I never received this book.Please let me know how I should proceed.Thank you.

Great!
In its rawest form, the science of political inquiry exists as the energy, product, and work of a community engaged in survey.To this end, Gregory M. Scott and Stephen M. Garrison offer a fourth installment of The Political Science Student Writer's Manual; an effort which is less a textbook and more a left-brain to the neophyte who dares tread the waters of political inquiry.Adding minor additions and revisions to their 2000 effort, Gregory M. Scott's and Stephen M. Garrison's exquisite balancing of the research and analytical technique equip even the most nascent scientists with the powers of organization necessary to draw pointed and meaningful measurements.Though its tight format is quick-moving at times, Scott and Garrison's work offers a genuinely demonstrative approach to successful writing techniques for students of political science.Addressing the growing need for students to be able to perform contemporary research, Scott and Garrison present information in an easy-to-read, how-to format which makes it a must-have for any political science student.

The science of politics is one which is intrinsically connected to every facet of the human condition; consequently, a student of this science must possess the dexterity to competently explore and address issues contained within the broader spectrum of life.Recognizing that this is not an easy task, Scott and Garrison break their book into six palatable parts, each addressing their own separate focuses.Part one, divided into four chapters, concentrates on writing, format, and citation.Part two, which was absent in their previous editions, consists of two chapters related specifically to distance learners and the use and inclusion of internet resources.Part three, consisting only of one chapter, focuses heavily on the organization of the research process, an effort which students of this discipline must take care in doing.Part four holds two chapters and offers explicit how-to information related to composing reviews, critiques, and research papers.Part five caters specifically to introductory-level students and, through its two chapters, offers information on issue reaction and position papers.Finally, part six, the bulkiest section, includes three detailed chapters for advanced-level students.Part six's contents include information on constructing a policy analysis paper, case briefs, and public opinion survey papers.

Perhaps one of the most noticeable departures these authors take from their contemporaries lies in their straight-forward style and formatting.To a novice, this book literally reads like a how-to manual with simple, easy-to-understand diction resonating in each section.The use of basic and explanatory diction not only makes this read breezy, but it also juxtaposes well with the numerous examples and illustrations.Clear and frequent samples and visuals, such as those found in part one of chapter two, offer explicit information on how-to and how-not-to write competently.Additionally, extensive reference book information in chapter seven, how to compose a position paper in chapter eleven, and how a policy analysis paper should look in chapter twelve are all things which, unless explicitly instructed, a student would be left up to their own designs in discovering.

This book is concise yet voluminous with regard to the diversity of information offered.For instance, while the last chapter offers the reader room to grow as it introduces upper-division topics such as "Policy Analysis" and "How to Read Supreme Court Decisions", the authors make certain to address the basic needs of new scientists with their inclusion of a lengthy introduction and a full section dedicated solely to basic writing technique.Quite literally, each chapter reads like the modern student's desk reference as it offers clear and concise examples on things like how to cite resources using the American Political Science Association (APSA) style format, to how to format and write an issue reaction paper.In a nutshell, Scott and Garrison lay the basic groundwork of structure and organization from which a serious student of political science can research, write, and evolve.

Whether being taught in a classroom or formulated within a position paper, political science is the perennial journey toward illumination.To this end, Scott and Garrison make a superb contribution.All sections are rich with information.And though at times it would have been helpful to include more full-page illustrations instead of the 1/4th and ½ ones, the need to compact the visuals is understandable given the quick-moving, broad base of the book.Known for their stellar work in the authorship of manuals written for students of other disciplines, Scott and Garrison stand heads above the often condescending and impractical writings of other authors in this genre.Scott and Garrison's Political Science Student Writer's Manual, 4th Edition was designed to improve the writing and to increase the knowledge of political science among its readership; I can think of no other textbook which comes as close to accomplishing this task than this book.
Perhaps the most appealing characteristic of Scott and Garrison's Political Science Student Writer's Manual, 4th Edition is that, upon reading it, one can tell that it is designed with the student in mind.The inclusion of part two and the work in section 4.2 illustrate the authors' great attention to detail in including both relevant and updated information for the student. The political scientist, much like primordial man, awakes in a vast darkness, feeling for answers, searching for understanding, drawing only upon the very nature of what it means to be intertwined within the timeless tapestry of the unknown.In this darkness, ancient man fashioned the wheel; in ours, Scott and Garrison have written this manual.

An excellent reference for political science students
If you are interested in political science and need to write about it,this is one book you should not miss.For beginners, the manual is usefulin laying out the foundations they should have in writing about politicalscience.The manual covers the basics in writing, such as grammar,punctuation and the format of the papers.For writers who are writing forspecific audiences, the manual offers suggestions how to improve and refineyour writing skills.For example, there are specific chapters dealing withwriting policy analysis, public opinion surveys an d other types ofwriting.The manual aims to give the reader a better understanding of whatis required of him or her when s/he undertakes the writing project.Italso covers areas like defining a topic and organising the researchprocess.Before you write a paper on political science, it is highlyrecommended that you use the manual to help hone your writing. ... Read more

Product Description
With contributions by 42 of the best political scientists wolrdwide, A New Handbook of Political Science analyzes the progress made in political science over the past twenty years in the context of historical trends in the field. International in its scope and systematic in its coverage, this comprehensive volume will be an essential reference book for political scientists and those who track their work. It is the ideal companion for all who intend to follow political science into the next century. ... Read more

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As assistant secretary in the United States Department of Labor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote his report “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action” in 1965 as an internal document within the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson. It described alarming trends in black employment, poverty, and education and argued that they were exacerbated by black family instability. While Moynihan called for a jobs program to employ black men and stabilize families, the report was attacked as an attempt to blame blacks rather than the injustices in American society and widely vilified as sexist and racist in liberal circles.

Now more than 40 years later, this issue of The ANNALS reviews this controversial yet “prophetic report” through a new lens, bringing together some of the country’s foremost social scientists to consider how its arguments and predictions have fared in subsequent years and how the controversy surrounding it influenced social science in the late 20^th century.

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This abridged edition offers the same personal, engaging introduction to political science as the full-length text in a shorter format--ideal for professors who incorporate outside readings into their courses. Topics include the nature of politics, political institutions, behavior, and ideologies within a comparative framework. Lawson's accessible writing style aids student comprehension and makes difficult concepts and unfamiliar terms understandable through clear explanations and an end-of-text glossary of key terms. A shift from a state-centered emphasis on interdependence to a broader look at globalization runs throughout the text and includes material on global organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO. In addition, most chapters feature new topics, including terrorism worldwide; the roots of terrorism and how nations guard against it; and post-9/11 issues in the U.S. such as civil rights and public health. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the human polity
this book is over priced.Along with any others that I looked its probablycheaper to get it at your local bookstore. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is designed to serve as a core text for the widest range of Introduction to Political Science courses; also to be used as a supplement to a variety of textbooks in the field of political science. Although as a core book it will be succinct and tightly organized and without a particular disciplinary slant, it will present the essence of the subject in an interesting way. Chapters of special relevance: our Western political heritage, comparative politics, international relations, recent focuses of study. Major contributors to particular areas of political science will be noted throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great
The book is a good, basic approach to political science. Clearly laid out and easy to understand

Worst! I WANT MY MONEY!
I NEVER EVEN GOT THE BOOK. I HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM MY MONEY AND I WANT A FULL REFUND NOW.

A good, wide-ranging primer
This short textbook gives a brief, balanced introduction to just about every aspect of political science.

I was drawn to this book partly because of the author's passionate opening assertion that "Throughout history the breakdown of political authority has taken a devastating toll in human suffering." I hoped that this strong point of view would be carried through the book and inform the author's explanations of the topics. While I can't exactly say that this was achieved, I can say that he does write from a strong conviction in the importance of politics in the widest sense, and with a sense that all the many aspects and subdisciplines of political science play important parts in this complex, sometimes ill-defined discipline.

The text is broken down into five parts, dealing respectively with the traditions of Western political thought, individual and group behavior, government institutions, international politics, and finally an examination of political science itself as a discipline. Each part consists of from two to five short chapters, which are in turn broken into subsections giving short descriptions of the important topics. With the possible exception of part 5 (since I am not a student of academic political science), I found Heineman's survey most relevant to helping my understanding of the political world.

To take one example, he covers a lot of ground in a short space as he describes the history of political thought and the thinking behind liberalism, Marxism, and conservatism. After a lifetime of reading newspapers and magazines, I felt for the first time that I was discovering what the core outlooks and ideas are behind the politics of the left and right, and why the various positions on the spectrum think as they do.

Heineman's writing style can be a little academic and wordy, and sometimes, in his zeal for balance, he gives the impression of trying almost too hard to see value in points of view that he clearly doesn't agree with (for example, postmodernism), but over all his interest in and respect for the discipline carries the day. Also, my copy, published in 1996, is a bit dated--although this is not important for a primer. The brevity of the individual subsections, which are almost like encyclopedia entries, also helps speed the reader along.

In sum, it is a wide, concise survey that lets you see the whole field in one text, so that you can decide which areas of the discipline you might want to examine further. At the very least, after reading this you should be able to get much more out of news stories. ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing on the rich resources of the ten-volume series of The Oxford Handbooks of Political Science, this one-volume distillation provides a comprehensive overview of all the main branches of contemporary political science:political theory; political institutions; political behavior; comparative politics; international relations; political economy; law and politics; public policy; contextual political analysis; and political methodology.Sixty-seven of the top political scientists worldwide survey recent developments in those fields and provide penetrating introductions to exciting new fields of study.Following in the footsteps of the New Handbook of Political Science edited by Robert Goodin and Hans-Dieter Klingemann a decade before, this Oxford Handbook of Political Science will become an indispensable guide to the scope and methods of political science as a whole.It will serve as the reference book of record for political scientists and for those following their work for years to come. ... Read more

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W. W. Norton & Company and the American Political Science Association are pleased to announce the publication of the Centennial Edition of Political Science: State of the Discipline. Editors Ira Katznelson and Helen V. Milner of Columbia University sought to "reflect the vibrant, often contested, diversity of political science while chronicling the past decade's scholarship and prompting thought about future directions."

Breaking away from a traditional organization around the four major fields of political science, the editors chose to create a framework that focuses first on the state, followed by democracy, then agency, and concluding with means of inquiry.

This handsome, clothbound volume is an important resource for all scholars interested in reading across fields and includes an essential unified bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You have to read this book
For everyone interested in the actual state of Political Science (especially in the US), this is a must.The most important topics of Political Science are discussed, starting with an historical overview of the main subjects and then discussing the actual situation in that part of the discipline.An overwheming source of information. This book deserves to be recommended to every professional and to everyone interested in Political Science. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A much needed corrective to Southeast Asian Studies
This is a much needed corrective to the Southeast Asian Studies literature. As the authors argue, Southeast Asia has much to offer the political science discipline. The region's natural diversity makes it a great laboratory for testing theories. However, Southeast Asia has been markedly absent in the political science debates over "big question" theories. Much of the Southeast Asia literature stands accused of focusing on individual countries in-depth, but not engaging the theoretical debates or utilization of cross-country comparative studies.

Southeast Asia in Political Science: Theory, Region, and Qualitative Analysis (Contemporary Issues in Asia and Pacific) serves both as a defense of the field and a clarion call for a more active engagement between Southeast Asia and political science. The articles, written by some of the brightest young minds in the field, review the literature and highlight its contributions to political theory - as well as where it falls short. They generally take an unabashedly qualitative approach, but also stress the need for this approach to engage more explicitly in hypothesis elaboration or testing.

I hope I don't sound too immodest in saying this, but this book preaches exactly what I have said privately to colleagues for years, and I'm glad to see so many prominent Southeast Asianists recognizing the problems. As much as I love Southeast Asia, it has certainly been punching below its weight. If political science actually is to be a "science," questions of methodology are going to keep coming up.

The individual articles are all well-written and the authors know their fields. The one critique I have with the book comes rather from what it fails to address. As anybody who works with Southeast Asia knows, comparative studies are particularly difficult in this region. Unlike Latin America, Western Europe, and the Middle East, etc., there is no lingua franca or common history. It is a huge investment to learn enough even about one country, much less two or three. The same diversity that makes it an ideal laboratory for comparative research, as the authors allege, also makes it difficult to control variables. Moreover, data is often hard to come by and inaccessible. I would like to have seen more explicit discussion of these challenges and how to overcome them. For the young Southeast Asia scholars like myself, that might mean addressing whether it is worth investing in one, two, or any languages? How many countries can researchers can reasonably expertise in before spreading oneself too thin? In addition to the theoretical questions, these questions need to be addressed in order to situate Southeast Asia scholars more firmly within political science. ... Read more

Product Description

Culture has returned to the poverty research agenda.

Over the past decade, sociologists, demographers, and even economists have begun asking questions about the role of cul­ture in many aspects of poverty, at times even explaining the behavior of low-income populations in reference to cultural factors. Unlike their predecessors, contemporary researchers rarely claim that culture will sustain itself for multiple generations regardless of structural changes, and they almost never use the term “pathology,” which implied in an earlier era that people would cease to be poor if they changed their culture. The new generation of scholars conceives of culture in substantially different ways.

In this latest issue of the ANNALS, readers are treated to thought-provoking articles that attempt to bridge the gap between poverty and culture scholarship, highlighting new trends in poverty research.

This volume is vital reading, not only for sociologists but also for researchers across the social sciences as a whole.

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Fifteen years in the making, Hyperpolitics is an interactive dictionary offering a wholly original approach for understanding and working with the most central concepts in political science. Designed and authored by two of the discipline’s most distinguished scholars, its purpose is to provide its readers with fresh critical insights about what informs these political concepts, as well as a method by which readers—and especially students—can unpack and reconstruct them on their own.

            International in scope, Hyperpolitics draws upon a global vocabulary in order to turn complex ideas into an innovative teaching aid. Its companion open access website (www.hyperpolitics.net) has already been widely acknowledged in the fields of education and political science and will continue to serve as a formidable hub for the book’s audience. Much more than a dictionary and enhanced by dynamic graphics, Hyperpolitics introduces an ingenious means of understanding complicated concepts that will be an invaluable tool for scholars and students alike.

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At the turn of the millennium there has been a major growth of interest in institutional theory and institutional analysis in political science. This book identifies these approaches to institutions, and provides a frame of reference for the different theories. In the past decade there has been a major growth of interest in institutional theory and institutional analysis in political science. There are, however, a variety of different approaches to the new institutionalism' and these approaches rarely address the same issues. This book identifies the various approaches to institutions, and then provides a common frame of reference for the different theories. Peters argues that there are at least seven versions of institutionalism, beginning with the March and Olsen 'normative institutionalism', and including rational choice, historical and empirical approaches to institutions and their impact on public policy. For each of the versions of institutionalism them is a set of identical questions, including the definition of institutions, the way in which they are formed, how they change, how individuals and institutions interact, and the nature of a 'good institution'. Peters discusses whether them are really so many different approaches to institutionalism, or if there is sufficient agreement among them to argue that there is really one institutional theory. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Re-Energizing Instituionalism
The institutional approach to exploring political phenomenon has been a valuable tool in political science nearly from the inception of the field.Since the era of the Greek academy, political scientists have sought the perfect form of government (Peters 1999). One of means used in an attempt to discover this ideal arrangement was the comparison of a variety of existing political institutions in order to discover which structure accomplished the task of governance in the most favorable manner.The search for the perfect government is not a question that fell with the Greek states. Rather, like the Acropolis, the quest for the perfect State remains.
However, like all things transending through the ages, political science is not free from the powers of evolution.What was once a standard approach, institutionalism had become, to many social scientists, anachronistic by the post World War II years.The idea of comparing systems was replaced to a large part by social science exploring the influence of the individual and his behavior on politics.Fields such as behavioralism and rational choice theory replaced institutionalism as the back bone of social research.
In his work, Peters attempts to bring institutionalism back in to political science.Rather than simply attempt to force new situations into old paradigms, Peters explores four sub-genres of institutionalism, titling this approach "new institutionalism."
Peters main hypothesis, it seems, is to imply that strictly relying of the individual and his behavior does not make good political science.He argues that in order to understand political phenomenon, the social scientist must combine both the individual and the institution with which the individual is in contact.By exploring these to variables the social scientist will possess a more rounded understanding of the political process, and thus effective governance.
It becomes apparent while reading Peters' work that some new institutionalism paradigms are more effective in exploring political phenomenon than others.For example Peters readily admits that theories such as historical institutionalism and empirical institutionalism make the development of theory difficult (Peters 1999, 95, 76).And in the case of historical institutionalism, it is difficult to distinguish the approach from his proposed others.
Although I believe that Peters attempt to bring the institutional approach back into political science is not only valiant in the face of his numerous opponents, but also valuable.His chapter on the rational choice theory and institutionalism is profound and indeed should make researchers, especially in comparative politics, take notice.Furthermore, in the face of the next American election, Peters ideas on societal institutionalism will prove invaluable to researchers exploring the impact of interests groups on not only political parties (institution) but also on candidates themselves (individual).
I would like to see Peters refrain from spending so much effort in what I feel is weak justification for the historical and empirical approaches to institutionalism and provide a more thorough analysis of the societal, rational choice, sociological, and to a lesser degree the normative approaches.These theories provide a more practical and useful tool in the arsenal of the political scientist.
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Product Description
Learn to write a great research paper with WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER IN POLITICAL SCIENCE! This concise political science text is more than just a typical research methods text - it helps you master writing, methodological, and research skills with ease. Topics covered include how to develop a research question, write a literature review, design a study, analyze information, write introductory and concluding sections, and edit and revise a paper. With a glossary, writing checklists, and examples of different parts of papers written by actual undergraduates, this political science text provides you with the tools you need to write a good research paper. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Poli Sci Book Review
If I didn't need this book for my Poli Sci class, I wouldn't have bought it. There were parts that were a bit repetitive but that's to be expected from any academic source. There were parts that were helpful so this book wasn't a complete waste of money. So for my overall opinion of it: complete indifference. I neither liked nor disliked this book.

not very organized
I recently used this book for my undergraduate political science class. The class mostly consisted of Freshmen and Sophomores, but had a decent amount of Juniors and Seniors in it as well. None of them liked this book. In fact, I have never had one of my textbook choices received more poorly by students. In week three of the quarter, my students collectively "petitioned" me to stop using this book.

I originally adopted the book after seeing the table of contents, which looked very promising, and after reading a few positive reviews about it. I was looking for a short, concise guide that would teach my students how to write a good research paper in political science. While I still believe that the intentions of the author were wonderful (because there is a definite need for such a book and a shortage of similar titles), it just doesn't work in its current form.

The main problem my students had was that they found the book extremely difficult to follow. Many of them said they read and re-read the assigned chapters multiple times, but still could not make sense of it. While this may seem like a popular "excuse" of college students, the fact that I heard this complaint so frequently - even from some of my best - makes me believe that they told the truth.

The important concepts are not very well explained and the examples that are supposed to illustrate them are confusing and too narrow (i.e. primarily focused on theory/philosophy, which is a very different type of political science paper than most of the other subfields). The text also "jumps around" quite a bit. For instance, the different types of variables in political science research (independent, dependent, discreet, ordinal, interval, etc.) are discussed in different sections of the book, making it difficult for students to get a clear picture. Other aspects of writing a paper are explained only in the vaguest form (e.g. the literature review).

On a positive note, the checklists at the end of each chapter are relatively useful, provided, of course, that students have actually learned how to check of each block.

AL

AL

Excellent Resource!
This is a great book, especially for upper-level, undergraduate classes (although it would be very helpful for first-year graduate students, too).It does an excellent job of helping students combine what they learn in their substantive classes with their methods training and writing skills.I'll be assigning it in my class next semester! ... Read more

Product Description
Game theory is the mathematical analysis of strategic interaction. In the fifty years since the appearance of von Neumann and Morgenstern's classic Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (Princeton, 1944), game theory has been widely applied to problems in economics. Until recently, however, its usefulness in political science has been underappreciated, in part because of the technical difficulty of the methods developed by economists. James Morrow's book is the first to provide a standard text adapting contemporary game theory to political analysis. It uses a minimum of mathematics to teach the essentials of game theory and contains problems and their solutions suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in all branches of political science.

Morrow begins with classical utility and game theory and ends with current research on repeated games and games of incomplete information. The book focuses on noncooperative game theory and its application to international relations, political economy, and American and comparative politics. Special attention is given to models of four topics: bargaining, legislative voting rules, voting in mass elections, and deterrence. An appendix reviews relevant mathematical techniques. Brief bibliographic essays at the end of each chapter suggest further readings, graded according to difficulty. This rigorous but accessible introduction to game theory will be of use not only to political scientists but also to psychologists, sociologists, and others in the social sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great for the Novice
If you have never heard of Game Theory before and want to know how it can be applied to many real life situations in easy non-technical vernacular, this book is for you. It recognizes that highly technical definitions are only important for the high theorist and instead relates information on Game Theory almost as a story that can be understood by anyone interested in the topic. It's a great read and has definitely sparked my interest in the field.

Good concepts, bad writing
I am currently using this book as a text for a graduate level game theory course for political scientists.Although Morrow does a good job covering the important concepts, the writing is wordy, awkward, and confusing.It makes it difficult to follow some of the more complicated problems, especially when learning the ideas for the first time.I would only recommend this book for people who already have a grasp of the ideas and want to learn more and see examples -- not so useful for first-time game theorists.

Answer keys are a little bit questionable.
There are apparently two versions floating around (from the same edition and same printing) with different answer keys in the back for some of the more difficult problems.

Otherwise, this is the standard textbook for game theory for political science.I'm inspired to read Schelling!

Excellent graduate level textbook
This book is an excellent introduction to game theory for the politicalscience graduate student.Although some prior knowledge of economics andgame theory would certainly help, the early chapters in the book areexcellent in familiarizing the reader with basic formal concepts.

A fewcomments by the previous reviewer may be misunderstood by some readers. This is NOT a "general concepts" book - in other words this isNOT game theory for poets - not that I hold anything against poets.Thisbook does require some undergraduate level mathematics, mainly differentialand integral calculus.Those looking for rigorous formal proofs of alltheorems will be disappointed, but this is a technical book with anemphasis on demonstrating the application of formal tools to commonproblems in political science.Some of the material such as the chapter onperfect and sequential equilibria can be quite challenging.

If you merelywish to get a sense of what formal political science is all about and donot intend to actually fire up the old calculator, I suggest RobertAxelrod's excellent book "The Evolution of Cooperation".

Excellent introductory text: it's as technical as you want
One of the nice things about this book is it can be as technical or mathematical as you want.If you just want the concepts, you won't be jarred by lots of equations.But if you like the technical aspects,they're all there, especially in the appendix.

Great simple treatment ofeverything from basic Nash Equilibrium to more sophisticated concepts suchas Bayesian information analysis.

The only potential disappointment ofthis book is if you know game theory well and are looking for somethingvery sophisticated, this is not the book for you -- not because there'sanything wrong with this book, but because it wasn't designed for thatlevel. ... Read more