Customer Reviews

Countries and Concepts: Politics, Geography, and Culture, Eighth Edition

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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)

The book is an in-depth look into the history of many countries religions, political ideals, political culture,societal influence and culture, human rights influences and much, much more. The countries covered are: Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Iran.

Roskin, M. (2011). Countries and Concepts: Politics, Geography, Culture (11th Edition): Politics, geography, culture (11th ed.) New York, NY: Longman

With this book, you'll get your history and political science lessons and a built-in instructor for free! By this, I mean the voice in which the author writes makes learning about political cultures the reader may or may not ever experience first hand very interesting and relevant. It helps explain the "why" and "how" behind many current political clashes and warfare. It really gives insight into the current hostilities between certain nations in the middle east and the west (the U.S. included). By content alone, I think it was one of the best textbooks the online university I was attending at the time had ever chosen for any of my classes. Best of all, I purchased it in like-new condition (no marks, folds, etc.) for about $20 from an Amazon seller.

As a somewhat "advanced" hobby reader of history of all countries and generations, I found this book to be a dream come true. I initially grabbed it in a used bookstore with the expectation that it might be a good tool to have on my shelf for my planned trips to other countries and cultures in the future.

What I quickly realized is that this book was not anything particularly useful as a travel planner/companion, but was more appropriately a balanced and opinionated walk-through of how several countries developed the institutions, political bent and cultures they have.

Those readers who are critical of the opinions expressed in this book are a bit unfair. This book is not intended to be "gospel", as little history is, especially the history written by the winners as the saying goes. I appreciate an opinion as related to history whether it validates what I have read before or whether it has another point of view which causes me to question a previous assumption. Much of history is opinion, albeit hopefully educated, presented as fact anyway. I read the communist manifesto and Hitler's gem, Mein Kampf, to understand history in context, and in the case of communism, to see what I might find common ground with, if anything.

I loved this book for its readability (I don't consider it "textbook" although it is clearly intended as such and is used that way). For someone like me who already has read a good deal about many of the countries covered, it was a perfect "clarifier" of many historical perspectives previous read out of chronological order or context. Having read an earlier edition, I am now eager to get the most current, and I am going to follow this author for other topics.

Should have bought even if I didnt take a class requiring it, worth the read.

Hi. When I recieved the book, it was in great shape. I recieved it in a very timely manner, even before I was told it would be to me. Thanks for being prompt. I ordered the book to late for when my class was starting, though when I recieved it I was only into the 2nd day of class. It made doing my assignments alot easier. I like ordering my textbooks from amazon, they are great quality and a fraction of the price of my college bookstore. I will continue to purchase books through amazon as long as they have the books I need. I applaud you for a job well done. Paula Sachse

While there is some good analysis in this textbook, there is a lot of unsupported opinion and flat out falsities. The author has some personal analysis that he does not support at all. I'll use the section on Russia as an example.
At points he groups entire peoples into categories, saying for instance that Russians like authoritarianism.
The author brings personal opinion into the text, saying that "it is not clear that had Lenin lived he would have been any better than Stalin." He also claims that Marxism is basically dead. On Marxism, he claims that the bourgeoisie are the middle class and that because the the middle class has grown in developed countries and done well, Marxists are wrong. Does he not know that the bourgeoisie in Marxism mean the class that profits from production but does not produce, meaning a tiny minority NOT including the vast majority of the middle class!!

About seller: Live&Learn4Ever
I bought this book used, it suppose to be "like new" and when I got it, it was highlighted and it looked very very used!!!
I have tried to locate this seller(Live&Learn4Ever)they are not responding to my emails. I am very upset and disappointed. Please do not buy from this seller.