Politics

by Andrew Heywood, Matthew Laing

Overview

This best-selling textbook continues to lead the way in providing an approachable and wide-ranging introduction to politics. It covers the key concepts, theories and debates, actors and institutions that drive politics, exploring their application and relevance to contemporary political developments. This sixth edition's new co-author, Matthew Laing, builds on previous editions and provides significant revisions to chapters covering populism, elections, global policing, security and governance, race and gender in politics, and law and the media to reflect rapidly changing global practice and scholarship.

Brand new global examples and a range of tried-and-tested pedagogical tools, including Key Thinker profiles, Politics in Action features and debating boxes, allow students to develop nuanced responses to political issues.

Carefully designed and written to map onto degree curricula, it remains the go-to text for undergraduate introductory and comparative politics courses. It can also be used as pre-course reading or as a point of reference for politics majors or minors.

New to this edition:
- The popular Politics in Action features have been updated with new case studies to reflect the latest political developments, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the persistent rise of populism, the climate emergency, China's continuing emergence as a world power and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- A re-worked chapter on global political regimes, with new emphasis on flawed democracies, hybrid regimes and democratic backsliding in the modern world.
- A greater diversity of illustrative examples from around the world, with many more case studies and analyses drawn from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Updated and free-to-use online resources that support teaching and learning can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/politics-6e, featuring flashcards, a glossary, additional cases, interactive simulations and weblinks for students, and for lecturers PowerPoint slides, a testbank and a guide to using the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350356818
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/23/2025
Edition description:	6th ed.
Pages:	584
Product dimensions:	7.44(w) x 9.69(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Andrew Heywood was Vice Principal of Croydon College, UK, having previously been Director of Studies at Orpington College, UK, and Head of Politics at Farnborough Sixth-Form College, UK.


Matthew Laing is an Adjunct Lecturer in Political Science at Monash University, Australia. He is Senior Writer and Content Developer at The Great Courses in the USA.

Table of Contents

1. What is Politics?
2. Political Ideas and Ideologies
3. Politics and the State
4. Democracy and Legitimacy
5. Regimes and Political Systems
6. Nations and Nationalism
7. Political Economy and Globalization
8. Politics, Society and Identity
9. Political Culture and the Media
10. Representation, Elections and Voting
11. Parties and Party Systems
12. Groups, Interests and Movements
13. Constitutions, Law and Judges
14. Political Executives and Leadership
15. Legislatures
16. Public Policy and Bureaucracy
17. Multilevel Politics
18. International and Domestic Security
19. World Order and Global Governance
20. Is Politics Broken?

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Politics was the first textbook I bought and read as an undergraduate and I have seen it benefit many more students since. Successive editions have provided a brilliant foundation for those eager to learn, engaging them with the joy of new understandings of complex political phenomena. – Matthew Ryan, University of Southampton, UK

As with every edition that has preceded this latest, updated edition, Andrew Heywood manages to render complex concepts, ideas, institutions and debates accessible and engaging for students. This is a comprehensive and incredibly useful resource for both student and educator alike. – Narelle Miragliotta, Monash University, Australia

This comprehensive and coherent textbook provides the best available introduction to the study of politics. Andrew Heywood organizes the material into meaningful categories, explores the major disciplinary debates with remarkable clarity, and carefully selects detailed examples that greatly enhance understanding. The book is highly accessible, and yet also sophisticated. Students are well advised to hang on to their copies for future reference. The fifth edition, meanwhile, seamlessly integrates such hot-button issues as populism, post-truth politics, and the growing prominence of auracy, and manages overall to capture the dynamic character of politics in a transitional era. – Bruce Morrison, Western University, Canada

There is hardly a better textbook to approach the study of politics. This is an easy-to-read yet systematic and engaging introduction to political science. This new edition has received a timely update and now covers topics such as populism, illiberal democracy and the crises of the EU. Heywood’s book is a key reference text that students should always keep on their desk for consultation as they progress through their degree in politics. – Edoardo Bressanelli, King’s College London, UK

A stellar textbook that covers the essential introductory topics for first-year students while at the same time delves into contentious contemporary issues. The fifth edition includes a new thought-provoking final chapter that addresses the wave of anti-establishment fervour circulating in Western liberal democracies. Students who study political science are looking for answers and guidance in understanding today’s political disillusionment. Heywood’s text provides both and goes the extra mile by also discussing solutions with the clearest and most up-to-date advice on “mending politics.” – Roberta Haar, Maastricht University, the Netherlands

Politics remains the text that still best hits the sweet spot between accessibility and academic sophistication. – Stephen Thornton, Cardiff University, UK

Thoughtfully organized, attractively presented, and eminently approachable, Heywood raises the bar for introductory politics texts. Instructors seeking a comprehensive overview of key concepts, theories, scholars, events, and political actors will find everything they need and more in this thoroughly updated edition of Politics. – Scott Fitzsimmons, University of Limerick, Ireland

Heywood's Politics is the by far the best introductory text to political science currently on the market. It does an excellent job of introducing vital concepts for the study of politics in an accessible, easy to grasp format. – Johannes van Gorp, American University of Sharjah, UAE

This book is a marvel of erudition and compilation. It is accessible and user friendly. It remains the first stop for lecturers and students studying Politics. – Cillian McGrattan, University of Ulster, Ireland

Heywood’s Politics stands out as one of the most comprehensive and accessible textbooks in the market. Students will benefit especially from its illustrations of case studies and debates in politics. – James Wong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

The most versatile and rewarding foundational text for studying politics. Comprehensive in scope, packed with carefully crafted pedagogical features, and incorporating the latest scholarship, this edition is the ideal prompt for stimulating classroom discussions. – Andrew Glencross, Aston University, UK

Editorial Reviews

Politics was the first textbook I bought and read as an undergraduate and I have seen it benefit many more students since. Successive editions have provided a brilliant foundation for those eager to learn, engaging them with the joy of new understandings of complex political phenomena.” —Matthew Ryan, University of Southampton, UK

“As with every edition that has preceded this latest, updated edition, Andrew Heywood manages to render complex concepts, ideas, institutions and debates accessible and engaging for students. This is a comprehensive and incredibly useful resource for both student and educator alike.” —Narelle Miragliotta, Monash University, Australia

“This comprehensive and coherent textbook provides the best available introduction to the study of politics. Andrew Heywood organizes the material into meaningful categories, explores the major disciplinary debates with remarkable clarity, and carefully selects detailed examples that greatly enhance understanding. The book is highly accessible, and yet also sophisticated. Students are well advised to hang on to their copies for future reference. The fifth edition, meanwhile, seamlessly integrates such hot-button issues as populism, post-truth politics, and the growing prominence of autocracy, and manages overall to capture the dynamic character of politics in a transitional era.” —Bruce Morrison, Western University, Canada

“There is hardly a better textbook to approach the study of politics. This is an easy-to-read yet systematic and engaging introduction to political science. This new edition has received a timely update and now covers topics such as populism, illiberal democracy and the crises of the EU. Heywood's book is a key reference text that students should always keep on their desk for consultation as they progress through their degree in politics.” —Edoardo Bressanelli, King's College London, UK

“A stellar textbook that covers the essential introductory topics for first-year students while at the same time delves into contentious contemporary issues. The fifth edition includes a new thought-provoking final chapter that addresses the wave of anti-establishment fervour circulating in Western liberal democracies. Students who study political science are looking for answers and guidance in understanding today's political disillusionment. Heywood's text provides both and goes the extra mile by also discussing solutions with the clearest and most up-to-date advice on “mending politics.”” —Roberta Haar, Maastricht University, the Netherlands

“Politics remains the text that still best hits the sweet spot between accessibility and academic sophistication.” —Stephen Thornton, Cardiff University, UK

“Thoughtfully organized, attractively presented, and eminently approachable, Heywood raises the bar for introductory politics texts. Instructors seeking a comprehensive overview of key concepts, theories, scholars, events, and political actors will find everything they need and more in this thoroughly updated edition of Politics.” —Scott Fitzsimmons, University of Limerick, Ireland

“Heywood's Politics is the by far the best introductory text to political science currently on the market. It does an excellent job of introducing vital concepts for the study of politics in an accessible, easy to grasp format.” —Johannes van Gorp, American University of Sharjah, UAE

“This book is a marvel of erudition and compilation. It is accessible and user friendly. It remains the first stop for lecturers and students studying Politics.” —Cillian McGrattan, University of Ulster, Ireland

“Heywood's Politics stands out as one of the most comprehensive and accessible textbooks in the market. Students will benefit especially from its illustrations of case studies and debates in politics.” —James Wong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

From the Publisher