Sage Publications Democracy and Democratization: Post-Communist Europe in Comparative Perspective (SAGE Politics Texts series)

This wide-ranging overview of the processes of democratization in post-Communist Europe, places the transitions in East-Central Europe within a broad European and global context. The authors begin with a introduction to the concept and theories of democracy and then examine the emerging politics of the new democracies to set the post-Communist transitions in longer-term comparative perspective with earlier and existing processes of democratization in Southern Europe, Latin America, and East and Southeast Asia. Finally the politics of EU accession are introduced to place the transitions within the wider context of European integration. Concluding with a summary of recent critiques of modern democracy and looking toward future theories, this text provides a comprehensive introduction to what will remain the key contemporary issue for all students of political science. Review `This is a broad-ranging survey. It goes well beyond its briefof democratization in these societies or, at least, it interprets this particular brief very widely, so that a range of economic and social changes are also brought into consideration. The series of international and inter-regional comparisons also give the book breadth. The opening sections on comparitive approaches and the historical background will make the book more accessible to the uninitiated reader.... It would serve as a useful introduction to understanding recent political change in the region′ - Democratization