Comparative politics is a division of political science that seeks to study and analyze the similarities and differences between the political structures of countries around the world.
The systematic study to understand why countries have various political systems and how these systems inform their development, growth, economies, culture, and lifestyles is the footstall of comparative politics.
In studying comparative politics, you compare and contrast presidential and parliamentary systems of government, multiparty versus two-party governments, and democracies against dictatorships, and these impact nationalism and citizenship.
While comparative politics is also known as comparative government, it explores the systems of government within a particular country and between several countries.
Best Comparative Politics Textbooks: Our Top Picks
If you are a politician or a student of political science or you hold any public posts, you may want to further background your roles and knowledge of political science by studying comparative politics.
There are hundreds of books out there to consult, but our team of internal editors has done the hard work for you. They have sifted through the haystack to extract the proverbial needle for you – the 6 best comparative politics textbooks. Here they are:
1. Comparative Politics: Integrating Theories, Methods, and Cases
Using the political systems of the US and the UK as the basis of comparison with other countries around the world, this comparative politics textbook introduces students to the issues of political economy, political institutions, and social change across the world. This politics textbook also examines the interactions between methods, theories, and evidences at shaping the political structure of any country.
This textbook answers the questions about the power of political and social movements at cross international boundaries, and why the socio-economic structure of countries differ one from another. This textbook is recommended for all political students and politicians.
- Author(s): Tyler Dickovick and Jonathan Eastwood
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Current Edition: Paperback, 3rd Edition (July, 2018)
- Pages: 696
2. Principles of Comparative Politics
Principles of Comparative Politics examines comparative governments from the standpoint of statistical analysis and regression results. The book also focuses on cultural and democracy with a view to understanding the links between cultural developments and forms of national governments.
A section of the book focuses on dictatorships against democracies and how authoritarian institutions function to the overall good of citizens. This textbook also examines different forms of political institutions and how gender plays a role in political discourse. For students of political science, this book would be invaluable to understanding various governments and how they fare under comparative politics.
- Author(s): William Roberts Clark; Matt Golder; and Sona Golder
- Publisher: CQ Press
- Current Edition: Paperback, 3rd Edition (March, 2017)
- Pages: 888
3. Essentials of Comparative Politics
Essentials of Comparative Politics is written and designed for students of political science and political scientists around the world. Written in clear and concise language, this textbook on comparative politics address contemporary government issues and how they affect people globally. For students and political analysts, this book outlines what users need to excel as political pundits and even focuses on the techniques exploited by comparativists to deal with political issues.
Coupled with Norton’s adaptive learning tool, InQuizitive, students will become more skilled at analyzing comparative politics and applying them to real-world situations.
- Author(s): Patrick O’Neil
- Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
- Current Edition: Paperback, 7th Edition (December, 2020)
- Pages: 480
4. Introducing Comparative Politics: Concepts and Cases in Context
One of the most sought-after titles in comparative politics, Introducing Comparative Politics: Concepts and Cases in Context is highly recommended for students, analysts, and politicians. This political textbook examines the political structures of 11 countries with a comparative review to answer the questions of who rules, where, why, and related political behaviors. The 11 countries analyzed in this textbook illustrate comparative politics across international contexts.
Students of political science, politicians, political analysts in the public space, and other people interested in the politics of their countries would find this textbook highly illuminating. It is also available in digital formats, and affordable for all levels of potential users.
- Author(s): Carol Ann Drogus and Stephen Walter Orvis
- Publisher: CQ Press
- Current Edition: Paperback, 5th Edition (January, 2020)
- Pages: 650
5. Comparative Politics
Comparative Politics is not only in its 5th edition, five other comparativists contributed to this publication to provide diverse international perspectives on the issues of comparative politics. It is strongly recommended for students of political science and people everywhere who lean toward comparative politics. This textbook takes students beyond the “what” of comparative analysis to the “why” and the “how”.
This latest edition is rich in that it fully covers Brexit, Trump, the rise of Populism, regions and ethnicity, the #MeToo movement, and even the issues of immigration. This comparative politics textbook is recommended for everyone interested in politics on a global scale. This resource also examines social movements that are currently shaping political discourse across several countries in the world, and it provides a camera-lens advantage to understanding global politics.
- Author(s): Daniele Caramani
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- Current Edition: Paperback, 5th Edition (June, 2020)
- Pages: 664
6. Introduction to Comparative Politics
Introduction to Comparative Politics contains 13 country case studies, selected for their significance in terms of their comparative themes, and because they provide an interesting sample of types of political regimes, levels of economic development, and geographic regions. According to the authors, this textbook aptly reflects the political climate of most countries and how they relate to shape their economies.
It is wholly recommended for students who desire to understand, compare, and contrast the political structures of various countries around the world. Users are guaranteed to grasp the political challenges and changing agendas within select countries with a view to understanding cultural and economic dynamics that shape individual country politics. Written in narrative and student-friendly manner, this comparative politics textbook is recommended for students of political science, political analysts, and active politicians who desire to know better than they presently do.
- Author(s): Mark Kesselman; Joel Krieger; and William A. Joseph
- Publisher: Cengage Learning
- Current Edition: Paperback, 6th Edition (January, 2012)
- Pages: 768
