Among the many tools available for teaching comparative politics, Gregory Mahler's text stands out for its unique exploration of concepts, structures, and illustrative cases. The first part of the book, after setting the stage with a discussion of comparison as a method of inquiry, focuses on the core institutions that affect politics within nations, as well as on political behavior and civil society. In Part 2, those same topics are systematically revisited as they interact in the context of nine detailed, up-to-date (through 2018) country studies. This well-integrated, cross-national, and accessible approach serves perfectly to provide students with the tools and perspectives that they need to better understand the diverse political systems of today's world. Praise for the previous edition: Clearly written and intelligently organized, this is a comprehensive and well-informed overview of the structures and actors at the center of politics in countries around the world. It is a perfect text for introductory courses in comparative politics! -- Mark Tessler, University of Michigan This is the quintessential introduction to comparative politics. It provides a sophisticated foundation of institutional analysis, respects historical influences, and above all, carefully focuses on the key mechanisms that drive politics in the contemporary world. -- Gerhard Peters, Citrus College Praise for the previous edition: Clearly written and intelligently organized, this is a comprehensive and well-informed overview of the structures and actors at the center of politics in countries around the world. It is a perfect text for introductory courses in comparative politics! -- Mark Tessler, University of Michigan This is the quintessential introduction to comparative politics. It provides a sophisticated foundation of institutional analysis, respects historical influences, and above all, carefully focuses on the key mechanisms that drive politics in the contemporary world. -- Gerhard Peters, Citrus College Gregory S. Mahler is academic dean emeritus and research professor of politics at Earlham College.