Concepts have a particular importance for students of politics and international relations. Political argument often boils down to a struggle over the legitimate meaning of terms and enemies may argue, fight and even go to war, each claiming to be 'defending freedom', 'upholding democracy' or 'supporting justice'. The problem is that words such as 'freedom', 'democracy' and 'justice' have different meanings to different people, so that the concepts themselves come to seem problematic.This book provides an accessible and comprehensive guide to the major concepts encountered in political analysis. Each term is defined clearly and fully, and its significance for political argument and practice is explored. The text has been updated and expanded to take account of the increasing influence of globalization on politics and now features 70 additional concepts. Renowned for its lively, engaging style and user-friendly approach, the second edition is an invaluable companion to the study of politics and international relations.

Absolutism Accountability Anarchism Anarchy Animal Rights Anti-Politics Arms Race Authoritarianism Authority Autonomy Balance Of Power Behaviouralism Bicameralism Bill Of Rights Bureaucracy Cabinet Capitalism Centralisation/Decentralisation Checks And Balances Christian Democracy Citizenship Civil Disobedience Civil Liberty Civil Society Coalition Collectivise Security Collectivism Collectivization Committee Communism Communitarianism Community Conflict Of Civilazations Confucianism Consensus Consent Conservatism Consociationalism Constitution Constitutionalism Constructivism Consumerism Corporatism Cosmopolitanism Crimes Against Humanity Critical Theory Cross-generational Justice Democracy Democratic Peace Democratization Deterrence Development Devolution Dialectic Dictatorship Diplomacy Discourse Ecologism Election Elitism Empiricism Equality Executive Failed State Fascism Federalism Feminism Free Trade Freedom Functionalism Game Theory Gender Geopolitics Global Civil Society Global Governance Global Justice Globalization Governance Government Great Power Hard/Soft Power Hegemony Historical Materialism Human Development Human Nature Human Rights Humanitarian Intervention Idealism Identity Politics Ideology Imperialism Individualism Institutionalism Interdependence Intergovernmentalism International Aid International Law International Organization International Relations International Society Internationalism Islamism Jihad Judiciary Just War Justice Laissez-Faire Law Leadership Left/Right Legitimacy Liberal Democracy Liberalism Libertarianism Local Government Mandate Market Marxism Mass Media Meritocracy Militarism Minority Rights Monarchy Multiculturalism Multilateralism Multi-level Governance Nation Nationalism Nation-State Nazism Neoliberalism Neutrality Non-Governmental Organization Obligation Opposition Order Pacifism Paradigm Parliament Parliamentary Government Patriarchy Patriotism Peace-Building Pluralism Polarity Policy Political Culture Political Economy Political Party Political Philosophy Political Science Political Theory Politics Populism Positivism Postcolonialism Postmodernism Power Pragmatism President Presidential Government Pressure Group Prime Minister Property Proportional Representation Punishment Race/Ethnicity Racialism/Racism Rational Choice Rationalism Realism Referendum Reform Regionalism Religious Fundamentalism Representation Republicanism Responsibility Revolution Rights Rule Of Law Security Security Dilemma Separation Of Powers Social Class Social Democracy Social Justice Social Movement Socialism Sovereignty State Subsidiarity Superpower Supranationalism Sustainable Development Systems Theory Terrorism Theocracy Third Way Toleration Toryism Totalitarianism Tradition Transnational Corporation Transnationalism Utilitarianism Utopianism War Welfare.