The Challenge of Politics: An Introduction to Political Science

This book enables students to see how the subfields of political science converge around a set of crucial questions: can we as citizens and students articulate and defend a view of the good political life and its guiding political values? Can we bring political wisdom to bear on judgments about politics and public issues? Can we develop a science of politics to help us understand significant political phenomena―the empirical realities of politics? 

The book equips students with the tools they need to explore the impact of philosophy and ideology, to recognize major forms of government, to evaluate empirical findings, and to understand how policy issues directly affect people’s lives. This Fifth Edition includes a brand new chapter on American Politics and Government and updated content on recent international events throughout. 

Neal Riemer (late) was the Andrew V. Stout Professor of Political Philosophy at Drew University. After receiving a PhD from Harvard University, he taught at the Pennsylvania State University; the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Drew University. His books include Problems of American Government (editor); World Affairs: Problems and Prospects (coauthor); The Revival of Democratic Theory; The Democratic Experiment; The Future of the Democratic Revolution: Toward a More Prophetic Politics; New Thinking and Developments in International Politics: Opportunities and Dangers (editor/coauthor); Karl Marx and Prophetic Politics; James Madison: Creating the American Constitution; Creative Breakthroughs in Politics; Let Justice Roll: Prophetic Challenges in Religion, Politics, and Society (editor/coauthor); and Protection Against Genocide: Mission Impossible (editor).

Douglas W. Simon is emeritus professor of political science at Drew University, where he specialized in international affairs, U.S. foreign policy, international organization, and national security. After receiving a BA from Willamette University, he served as an officer in U.S. air force intelligence, including a tour in Vietnam. Following his military service he earned a PhD at the University of Oregon. After arriving at Drew, he directed the university’s Semester on the United Nations for fifteen years, served as convener of Drew’s Masters in International Affairs Program, and later was department chair. In addition to The Challenge of Politics, he is coauthor of New Thinking and Developments in International Politics: Opportunities and Dangers and has contributed to such publications as the Harvard Journal of World Affairs, East Asian Survey, Comparative Political Studies, International Studies Notes, Teaching Political Science, and Society.

Joseph Romance is associate professor of political science at Fort Hays State University, teaching in the fields of American politics and political theory. He received a BA from the College of William and Mary and a PhD from Rutgers University. He is coauthor, with Theodore Lowi and Gerald Pomper, of A Republic of Parties: Debating the Two Party System; coauthor of and contributor to Democracy and Excellence: Conflict or Concord?; and coeditor of Democracy’s Literature. His articles and reviews have appeared in a number of journals, including American Review of Politics, The Responsive Community, Perspectives on Political Science, and Newsday. He has also contributed pieces to a number of edited volumes, including Progressive Politics in the Global Age and Friends and Citizens. He currently is working on a book about political foundings.