This vibrant and significantly revised new edition is a comprehensive and accessible text for studying political theory in a changing world.
Bringing together classic and contemporary political concepts and ideologies into one book, it introduces the major approaches to political issues that have shaped our world, and the ideas that form the currency of political debate. Consistently, it relates political ideas to political realities through effective use of examples and case studies making theory lively, contentious, and relevant.
With significant revisions which reflect the latest questions facing political theory in an increasingly international context, key features and updates include:
- Two brand new chapters on Migration and Freedom of Speech and a significant new section on the radical right;
- Thought-provoking case studies to bring the theory to life including social media and internet regulation, Brexit and the EU, anti-vaxxer campaigns, surrogacy tourism, and autonomous anarchist zones;
- A revamped website, including podcasts, to aid study of, and reading around, the subject.
Introduction to Political Theory, Fourth Edition is the perfect accompaniment to undergraduate study in political theory, political philosophy, concepts and ideologies, and more broadly to the social sciences and philosophy.
Introduction
Part 1: Coercion, Legitimacy, and Collective Choice
1. The State
2. Democracy
3. Punishment
4. Political Obligation and Conscientious Objection
Part 2: Freedom, Equality, and Justice
5. Equality
6. Freedom of Action
7. Freedom of Speech
8. Distributive Justice
Part 3: Classical Ideologies
9. Liberalism
10. Conservatism
11. Socialism and Marxism
12. Anarchism
13. Nationalism
14. Fascism and the Radical Right
Part 4: Contemporary Ideologies
15. Feminism
16. Multiculturalism
17. Ecologism
Part 5: Global Political Theory
18. Human Rights
19. Global Justice
20. Migration
Biography
Paul Graham teaches political theory at the University of Buckingham, UK.
John Hoffman is Emeritus Professor of Political Theory at the University of Leicester, UK.
"This fourth edition is an exceptionally well written introduction to political theory, with the focus on principal concepts and excellent case studies. This book is a marvelous contribution to the field of Political Science. Yet above all, the book offers an outstanding basis of knowledge and motivation for university students learning about political theory."
Katarzyna Stokłosa, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
"Hoffman and Graham’s textbook is a success at many levels. It is admirably comprehensive, is not afraid of courting controversy (particularly in its refreshing scepticism about the state) and demonstrates how central normative theory is to a study of politics. Above all, perhaps, it manages, with the help of very useful case studies, to pull off the difficult task of making complex ideas eminently accessible. I highly recommend the book as an ideal introduction to the study of political theory."
Robert Garner, University of Leicester, UK
