Global Issues: Perspectives on Controversies

Tophat’s Global Issues: Perspectives and Controversies is now in its 4th Edition. Designed for an introductory audience, the first 3 chapters provide the foundation for analyzing important political and social issues through a global lens. The text begins with a brief introduction to ‘What is politics?’ followed by short descriptions of different political ideologies, forms of government and electoral systems. Chapter 2 outlines the seven dominant theoretical perspectives used to make sense of the world while chapter 3 offers a concise analysis of the scientific method and ethics and why the scientific method is crucial to understanding politics in its global context. Chapters 4-12 analyze global political/social issues that are both timely and consistently with us. The issues are addressed in general terms allowing individual instructors to bring their own unique research and treatment to each individual issue. Issues addressed through a global lens include, the environment, cultural behaviour, inequality, globalization, the ‘resource curse’, Canada and peacekeeping, international sexualities and Muslim women and the veil. Pedagogically, each chapter includes ‘What up?’ information sections which add unique information to help round out each issue. Students are encouraged to think critically with ‘So I’ve been thinking…’ boxes. Key terms are bolded in the text and defined at the end of chapter glossaries. Multiple choice and true and false questions are sprinkled throughout each chapter allowing students to actively evaluate their understanding of the material in real time as they read. Each chapter concludes with Web recommendations for further research and short and long essay questions. A unique and robust text, Global Issues: Perspectives and Controversies is ideally suited to introduce beginners to political and social issues in a global context.