C. Neal Tate – Governments of the World (4 Volumes)

Автор: C. Neal Tate
Название книги: Governments of the World (4 Volumes)
Формат: PDF
Жанр: Политология и Социология
Страницы: 1419
Качество: Изначально компьютерное, E-book

These four volumes provide accessible, authoritative background information about governments, political issues and citizen politics in 198 regions, including every independent nation of the world and several territories under the jurisdiction of sovereign countries.

Keeping up with the ever-changing global political landscape can be daunting.
Governments of the World: A Global Guide to Citizens’ Rights and Responsibilities
is designed to make the task easier. The volumes provide accessible, authoritative
background information about governments, political issues, and citizen politics in
198 regions, including every independent nation of the world and several territories
under the jurisdiction of sovereign countries. Because no nation operates in
complete isolation, Governments of the World reaches beyond regional issues to
explore the roles of international courts and supranational institutions such as the
United Nations and the European Union.
The articles vary in length, ranging from 500 to 3,500 words. In general, we
have provided shorter articles for countries that are comparatively small in geographic
size or population or, in the judgment of the editors, of lesser economic
or strategic significance. This does not mean countries represented by shorter
articles are unimportant or uninteresting; many of them are fascinating, for any
number of reasons. Common to all of the project’s authors has been the diligent
struggle to select only the most vital information for inclusion. Because the work
we have prepared is an encyclopedia, not a library, authors were forced to select
for readers only the essential facts key to the comprehension of the world’s governments
in the twenty-first century.
Understanding the structure of the world’s governments, the interaction
between governments and their citizens, and the intricacies of international relationships
in a global environment entails much more than the study of isolated
countries. To further the learning experience, a selection of articles present and
explain in depth many of the institutions and concepts—including representation,
dictatorship, and the role of political parties—crucial to the justification for and
operations of governments and the roles played by citizens. Biographical sketches
introducing readers to some of the most influential people in government and politics
of the past century round out these 112 supporting articles.
Each of the 310 articles, arranged alphabetically over four volumes and thematically
catalogued in the frontmatter, has been newly commissioned for this
project. Entries represent the work of over 200 international contributors. Entry accessibility is enhanced by sidebars that explore key people, themes, and
events. Numerous country maps, photos and illustrations help illuminate the
text, while same-page definitions, entry-specific bibliographic citations,
and cross-references help users delve more deeply into the topic. Ancillary
materials—including a filmography, a glossary, and a cumulative index—provide
additional tools for understanding the concepts presented in the set. A selection
of primary documents, including international agreements and country-specific
legislation, is reproduced in volume-specific appendices; these further explain
the structure of governments and justifications and standards for promoting
(or in some cases denying) citizen rights.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Governments of the World has clearly been a group effort. The vision and
contents of the work were shaped extensively by the members of the editorial
board: Martin Edelman of the University at Albany, Stacia Haynie of Louisiana
State University, and Donald Jackson and Mary Volcansek, both of Texas
Christian University. The set’s coverage and contents were initially developed in
consultation with David O’Brien of the University of Virginia, Carl Baar of Brock
and York Universities, and board members Edelman, Jackson, and Volcansek.
When other commitments made it impossible for Professors O’Brien and Baar
to continue their involvement, Professor Haynie and I came on board.
Governments of the World would have remained only a vision and a list of
potential contents without the leadership and vital contributions of the staff at
Thomson Gale. Hélène Potter, director of New Product Development, provided
the stimulus and enthusiasm to get us going. Jaime Noce, our editor, was unfailingly
supportive and resourceful; her gentle nudges kept us on schedule. Other
members of the editorial and production staff worked behind the scenes to do
everything necessary to turn rough drafts of individual articles into the polished
and well-illustrated final product.
The excellent work of all these people would have been directed toward
other projects but for the expertise and eloquence of the more than 200 authors
of the individual articles. I learned from reading and editing their contributions
more than I ever could have on my own. I frequently experienced a sense of real
excitement and a desire to know more as I encountered new knowledge about
the world’s nations and their characteristics, the state of their citizens’ rights and
responsibilities, the dimensions of important concepts that help us understand
the background and operations of those nations, and the lives and contributions
of important individuals whose impacts on citizen rights and responsibilities,
both positive and negative, have been substantial. All of us involved in bringing
you Governments of the World—the associate editors, the editorial and production
staff, the publishers, and, of course, the authors of the articles—hope you
find it as informative and exciting as we have.
C. Neal Tate