Exploring Political Ideas

A groundbreaking, accessible introduction to the building-block concepts of democracy and comparative civics


Designed specifically to help high-school students build critical-thinking skills, Exploring Political Ideas presents a conceptual-comparative approach to the study of the political ideas that shaped world history and continue to affect today's political landscape. This unique approach gives students a solid grasp of the core concepts behind civics and democratic government, and shows how these concepts are applied in practice through comparisons over time, and across nations.

The four-color text explores many intertwined concepts, including the uses of power and authority, the influence of political culture and political institutions, the relationships between rights and responsibilities, political participation and representation, the prerequisites of leadership and governance, and the challenges facing democratic governance in an age of rapid globalization. Each chapter illustrates the concepts through practical examples about political thinkers, leaders, ideas, institutions, and policies. Students explore historical and contemporary applications of political ideas from four perspectives:



The decisions individuals make
The interests individuals articulate and pursue
The institutions they create and work within
The issues they to seek to resolve

Exploring Political Ideas is a terrific addition to public and college library collections, and ideal for high schools supporting curriculum in AP Government, civics, world history, geography, and AP social studies. No other resource unpacks the core concepts behind politics and government in this historical-comparative way that students can easily explore and digest.