In this new edition of Ponton and Gill's well-known text, new material on recent events and political changes, especially in Western, Central and Eastern Europe is incorporated into the explanatory frameworks offered by political science. Students are given a superlative guide to the concepts and models political scientists bring to bear on real world happenings. Two entirely new chapters consider the dimensions of globalization, focusing on the interplay between political concerns at the level of nation states and their international contexts which shape national agendas. Introduction to Politics balances the need for clarity and ease of understanding with the need for depth of reflection on matters of political substance. It is an indispensable volume clearing a pathway for all students seeking to develop knowledge and a capacity for judgment about politics.